Hiding behind a mask
by blackdaisy4U
Summary: Hermione is planning some payback on a certain blond haired Slytherin. She will attend a masked ball and make him like her. What will happen when he finds out who she is? MC, DMHG, at Hogwarts, during the war. Full summary inside. not just about the ball
1. Humiliation

**Hiding behind a mask**

**By BlackDaisy4U**

Full summary:

It's their sixth year at Hogwarts and the war isn't over. Draco humiliates Hermione and she decides he has gone too far. She will get revenge. She will attend the masked ball the Slytherins are having and she will try to make Draco fall for her. But then the attacks are starting again. This will be the final battle and everyone has to pick a side. What will happen when he finds out who she is?

I don't follow the events in the last two books. I try to keep the characters as close to the characters in the Harry Potter books as possible. I hope you'll enjoy it. Rated T just to be safe.

Please try to forgive me any grammar or spelling mistake I made. I'm Not English but I try to make as little mistakes as possible. I don't mind if you will correct me when I'm wrong. Also, I really appreciate people taking the time to read my story. Reviews are always welcome. I appreciate constructive criticism but I don't like insults. Keep it civil.

**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately, The characters don't belong to me. Not even in my wildest dreams. Everything except the plot belongs to J.K. Rowling.

That's about enough of my talk. Let's get on to the actual story. Hope you have fun reading it!

**Chapter one: Humiliation**

"So Granger, what do you think of me?" Draco Malfoy asks her.

"You are a lazy, stupid, self-centered pig that can't do anything without the help of his father" She tells him. Draco looks a bit angry but he doesn't give up.

"How about my looks?"

"You're hot" It shoots out of her mouth before she realizes what she is saying. Draco and his friends Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson are laughing at the top of their longs. Harry and Ron are glaring at Hermione with their mouths dropped to the floor.

"You think he's h.. ugh! I can't even say it!" is all Ron can say and he shakes his head.

"I always knew she liked you Drakey" Pansy tells him.

"I know, it's hilarious! It was expectable of course, I mean look at me! I am hot!"

"You are Drakey!"

"Merlin that is just disgusting" Ron says pointing at the amused couple before him and Harry nods in agreement.

"How long have you felt that way?" Harry asks her trying not to sound too disgusted.

"Since I first saw him" she covers her mouth with her hands but it's too late. She said it and everyone had heard it clearly. Tears start to form in her eyes.

"What did you do to me?" she asks Draco, fighting against the tears.

"Just some truth serum. I made you say it out loud but trust me love, we all knew!" and the three of them burst out in laughter once more. Hermione's eyes are shooting fire.

"I will get you for this Malfoy! Just you wait!"

"I.. am.. so… scared!" He tells her in between laughs. The git is almost peeing in his pants.

Hermione can't stand it any longer and runs away, leaving her two best friends behind. She doesn't want to talk to them right now so she runs to the astronomy tower knowing she could never get the peace and quiet she needs so much in the Gryffindor common room. Hermioneneeds to be alone to plan her payback. Normally she doesn't approve of revenge. She tells Harry and Ron all the time that you sink to the other person's level by getting revenge and that makes you just as bad. But right now, revenge is all she can think of.


	2. Planning

**Chapter 2: Planning**

The rest of the week the whole Slytherin house makes fun of her. The rest of the houses give her pitiful looks but nobody opens their mouth. Harry and Ron act like it never happened, and they ignore it every time someone brings it up. Hermione holds her head up high whenever someone makes fun of her. Even Draco's questions how the payback is working out for her aren't hurting her. She has a plan. She will make him fall in love with her and the whole school will know. Hell, the whole wizarding world will know! But how do you make your worst enemy fall in love with you?

After that first week of humiliation the Slytherins forgot about her. They had something new to talk about. Something the whole school was talking about. Dumbledore has allowed some sixth year student to have himself a big birthday party in Hogsmeade and every Slytherin that isn't under aged is allowed to come. But, he is also allowed to bring his other friends, and since he doesn't have friends in school outside of the Slytherin house, he can invite his friends that don't attend to Hogwarts. Those friends will just stay the night in Hogsmeade. This was huge. Nothing like this has ever been allowed before. The Slytherins all made sure everyone knew about their party, especially the part on how the rest of the school wasn't invited.

"Can you believe this?" Luna asks Hermione. "They are having a party, a masked ball even. I love those! It's so unfair! It's with dresses and suits and masks and everything!"

"Are you sure about that?" Hermione asks her overenthusiastic friend.

"Well don't worry, for your birthday we will throw you a party like that too."

"I will keep you to that promise" Luna looks at Hermione with curiosity in her eyes. "I know why I'm smiling but why are you smiling like that?"

"Nothing, I'm just imagining what your party will be like, and what costumes Harry and Ron would wear" Hermione says chuckling. But that isn't what she's thinking. Hermione is thinking about her revenge. She now knows what to do.

Later that day Hermione asks around if the Slytherin party will actually be a masked ball, not that she doesn't trust Luna, she is her best friend besides Harry and Ron, it's just that she believes the weirdest things and she couldn't risk it. Luckily everyone confirmed Luna's story. It looks like Hermione has got some shopping to do.

What Hermione needs to do is get a dress and a mask. To get those she will need to go to Hogsmeade but she can't sneak out with the risk of getting caught. Especially not now. When she needs to pull the same stunt again no more than a week later. No, too dangerous. Hermione knows the head girl a bit and tries to get a ticket out of her but the girl told Hermione that she really couldn't give her a pass to go shopping. The head boy and girl are only allowed to give away passes to Hogsmeade in case of emergency. Too bad giving the schools biggest prat a piece of his own game doesn't count as an emergency.

That night Hermione is lying in her bed making a mental list of all she needs to do. _I need to plan this thoroughly._ _I need to get a dress, a mask, Harry's cloak (it looks like he will have to do without his midnight snack for once). Wait, I don't know what time to be there, and where it is exactly. I will need to find that out too. How am I going to find that out? Should I tell anyone about my plan?_ For a little while longer similar thoughts are running through her mind. Then she finally falls asleep.

The next day

Hermione has ancient runes class in the morning, then advanced Herbology. Those two classes she doesn't have with her best friends. That's a good thing. She has decided on not telling them about her plan. Hermione is trying very hard to pay attention but she can't get her revenge out of her head. Before she knows it the morning classes are over and she only wrote down about four pages of notes. That isn't nearly as much as she normally writes down. Hermione now has two potions classes in a row with the Slytherins. Hermione takes a seat next to Luna like she always does. Unfortunately, Luna is sitting at the opposite side of the classroom from the Slytherins. She still doesn't know when the party will start and she won't be able to listen in on their conversations and find out.

"Hey Granger" Someone calls from behind her. "You must be jealous of our party, there will be a whole lot more people coming tonight then there would ever be coming when you would host a party like this"

_That's it! I'm sure I can get Malfoy to tell me if I play my cards right!_

"Why should I be jealous? It probably starts at seven and stops at ten because then all you big babies have to get your naps!" she tells him.

"That may be the sort of party you're used to but this party isn't like that. For your information, it starts at 11, so that would be too late for you to come because you'd miss your much needed beauty sleep! Oh wait, you weren't invited anyway" Draco laughs.

_Thank you_, Hermione is thinking. _You just gave me the information I need_. _It is almost too easy._

"Laugh all you want Malfoy, I know for a fact that you won't be after tonight"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess you'll just have to wait to find out" she smiles at him and he gives her a nasty look. Hermione walks away humming the song just you wait from the musical My Fair Lady, which he wouldn't know anyway.

Hermione doesn't have any classes anymore today but there are still a few hours before dinner so she goes to the library like she always does. She has a lot of homework to do and even more extra work and if Ron is acting nicely she might correct his homework as well. Not long after Hermione has arrived Harry, Ron and Luna arrive too. Of course Ron is at his best behavior. Hermione is smiling the entire time and that doesn't stay unnoticed. At least by Harry and Ron, Luna is her normal absent minded self. "Why are you so happy Mione? We have an enormous amount of potions homework to do!" Ron asks her.

"I don't know Ronald, I'm just in a good mood that's all." Harry raises an eyebrow, his friend is normally not so relaxed, she is always stressing about school and everything she has to do. Ron just shrugs it off and gets back to the potions homework that he doesn't understand at all, at least for the next few minutes. He soon discovers that it's useless and tries to get Hermione to help him, which she does, as usual.


	3. The party

**Chapter 3: The party**

There she is. Standing there outside of the three broomsticks in the middle of the night in a deep green dress and a green mask with silver linings. The dress is very simple. It reaches to well over her knee. The bands straps over her shoulders are braided with one green and two silver threads. Besides that the dress isn't special but it looks perfect on her. Hermione braided the silver ribbons at each side of the mask into her hair and tied it into a knot afterwards. It looked very cute and sophisticated, it matched her dress too and most importantly, the mask couldn't get snatched off by anyone this way. Hermione takes a deep breath to work up the courage to actually go inside. After all, this was an act of vengeance and that is something she never approves of. Maybe it is best to call this off before she even starts it. She has let it come this far already. After hesitating a few more seconds a couple of Slytherins behind her push her inside. "Go on inside, we didn't come here to wait all night at the door" one of the two boys says to her. _Great, now I don't have much of a choice. Let's see what this party will turn out to be. _Hermione gets over to the bar and sits herself down in a corner so that nobody will notice her right away.

_What have I gotten myself into? _Is she thinking to herself._ At least it seems like any normal party. Except for the silly costumes. Some of them really should know how to dress properly if you ask me! Look at that skirt! If you want your butt to show you could have just come naked! At least my dress reaches over my knee. _Hermione looks around some more and recognizes a few people. Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, of course Pansy with her too tight and too short and too low cut dress, if you can even call something like that a dress. But the reason she is here is to find Draco and make him like her so that she can do to him what he did to her. Only worse. But he isn't around. Or she hasn't recognized him yet, which is very unlikely with his unusual hair color.

After an hour Hermione still hasn't recognized Draco. She is still seated in the corner at the bar and she has drunken a few shots of fire-whisky. Not that she is drunk or anything, far from that. Hermione decides that it is time to leave and she drinks her last drop of fire-whisky. Getting up she bumps into the person she was there for in the first place. Or something like him. This person happened to be a Zorro-like guy with black pants, a black shirt, unbuttoned more than enough to show his muscular chest, and a black mask. All he needed was sward and black hair and he would be Zorro. "Be careful" he says to her and holds her up by her shoulders.

Hermione thanks him.

"No problem, are you having fun?"

"Yes, I'm fine but I'm leaving now"

"Why?" he asks her.

"It was a mistake coming here"

"Of course it wasn't, what are you talking about?"

"Nothing, just, thank you and good bye"

"Wait, you can't go."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm asking you to dance and it's rude to say no to the first dance"

"It's not my first dance"

"Yes it is" He smirks at her.

"How would you know?"

"I've been watching you"

"Oh so you're like a stalker now?"

"No, just dance with me"

"I can't dance"

"Sure you can"

"No really I can't"

"Can you walk?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

"Just answer it will you"

"Yes I can walk although I can't see why that matters"

"If you can walk you can dance"

"Just leave me alone Draco!" she tries to get past him but he stops her and pulls her back by her arm.

"Do we know each other?"

"No"

"You called me Draco"

"I heard someone calling you like that just now"

"So you were stalking me?"

"No of course not!"

"Just dance with me woman!"

"I told you I can't"

"You can stand on my toes if you want"

"But,"

"No buts, just dance" He smiles playfully at her and she can't help smiling back. It's the first time she has seen the guy smiling at her, at anyone for that matter. He grabs her hand and leads her to the dance floor. Right when they reach the spot Draco carefully picked for them the music changes from a fast to a slow song. _I guess I can't say no to him now can I? _she thinks and then puts her arms around his neck while he puts his around her waist.

"Aren't you going to tell me your name?" Draco asks her while dancing very close to her. Partly because of the crowd but also for the larger part because he wants to.

"No"

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to know"

"Will you let me guess?"

"Go ahead" she smiles, _he will never guess right anyway_. It's a good thing she put her hair up like this, otherwise he might have recognized it.

"Well let's see, do you go to Hogwarts?"

"Maybe"

"That means yes" he smiles and she smiles back. "Well, if you came here for Blaise than you must be a Slytherin, Merlin knows he wouldn't invite someone from another house"

"Maybe I wasn't invited"

"Oh, sneaky aren't you"

"I said maybe"

"Oh please, don't lie, you're obviously not very good at it"

"Then maybe I shouldn't be saying anything" Hermione smiles again.

_How the hell am I supposed to be charming to him? What kind of girl does he like anyway? He can't seriously be in to the Pansy type of girls can he? Why the hell did I start this? Next time I should tell my friends so they can knock some sense into me. I guess that's the reason I didn't tell them. How stupid do I seem now? Trying to seduce my worst nightmare and actually finding him quite charming! Very stupid indeed. _

"I'm sure you can't be quiet all too long" he smirks.

"How would you know?"She replies offended

"Because you already failed" a broad smile covers his face.

"Fine, then I stop now"

"Fine, good luck"

…

"It's actually a good thing that you are not talking" Hermione looks confused and he continues. "I can say anything I want and you can't talk back"

…

"Let's see what I want to talk about" pause "I think I will just go on guessing your identity. Let's see, you have brown eyes, brown hair, good body," Hermione raises an eyebrow but he acts like he didn't notice. "You are not a Slytherin, yet you do come to this party. Why is that?"

…

"Oh wait, you weren't speaking to me" Draco runs out of things to say. He always thought he wanted a girl who wouldn't talk so much but that's not true. It must have been because of the constant chattering of pansy that he thought he liked that.

"Dum die dum die dum…"

Hermione smiles at his horrible attempts to say something useful.

"As daylight doth a lamp. Her eyes in heaven would through the airy region steam so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand, o that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek." Hermione looks very confused. _Is he quoting Shakespeare? Seriously. That was what Romeo said to Juliet at the famous balcony scene. It must have been I'm not insane. But how does he know that? _Hermione can't make sense of it all and the confusion shows on her face.

"Well, at least we know another thing," Hermione tilts her head to the side curious to what that might be.

"

"Now I know that you are not a mudblood, what I just said was some crap a Muggle wrote" Hermione looks a little hurt. She loves Shakespeare. _How could he not love Shakespeare? It's so beautiful and romantic! He secretly likes it I'm sure. How else would he have memorized that?_ The song is over and a new song begins. This one is fast gain and the two let go of each other.

"I'm leaving now" Hermione tells him.

"Wait! Don't leave. I still don't know who you are"

"If you really want to know you'll figure it out" She gives him a sly smile and with that she turns around and leaves him standing there at the dance floor. By the door she takes a quick look at him and sees pansy all over him. _Well, it looks like he forgot me already. _She gets her coat and bag and leaves. If she would have waited only another second before turning around he would have met her gaze. Now all he saw was her leaving. Once outside she slips into an alley and gets the cloak from out of the bag and puts it on. Then Hermione walks back to the castle, thinking about Draco and his behavior towards her. He might not have known it was her but she actually saw a nice side of him. The side she didn't know he had.


	4. Wanted

**Chapter 4: Wanted**

It is the morning after the party. It is a Saturday and normally Hermione is up early to head towards the library for some early studies before breakfast. The party made her tired, she went home extremely late and she realized that maybe she has taken a bit too much fire-whisky because now her head is on fire. Unlike the Slytherins, she can't go to madam Pomfrey to get a spell to get rid of it. Since she is not used to drink much she never needed a spell like this before, and never considered it important enough to look it up just in case. Nobody is supposed to know where she was last night, e_specially not Malfoy who looked extremely hot. Don't go there Hermione it was just the bad lights and the whisky that made you think it. It was just an illusion that's all._

Luna asked her if she was ready to come down for breakfast but just her loud voice made her headache worse and she can't handle the noise of the entire school in the great hall. Therefore she told her friend she wasn't hungry and she was going to find a quiet place to study. That studying would hopefully be done on the inside of her eyelids. Hermione didn't get all that much sleep after the party, and Merlin knows she didn't get that many hours of sleep the nights before the party either.

First Hermione really needs to take a shower or else the smell of smoke and alcohol that got caught up in her hair will give away her whereabouts of that night. She really doesn't want that to happen. When Hermione arrives at the prefects bathroom nobody is there. _Of course there isn't anyone here. Everybody is having breakfast. _Hermione steps into the shower and starts thinking about the person she can't get out of her head. 

_I wander what Draco is doing right now, besides eating of course. He and his friends are probably bragging about their stupid party and making fun of those who got really drunk and don't remember a thing about what they did. I'm surprised Dumbledore let them have a party anyway. That has never happened before. Why do they get a party? I guess Blaise's new stepfather must have paid a lot to make that happen. But Dumbledore would never do that right? Allow a party in exchange for the money? Maybe next time we get to have a party too? Of course we would have one with more dignity and grace. Maybe Draco would come to our party too. No I have to stop thinking about that. He doesn't like me anyway. Just look how he let Pansy be all over him just seconds after I left. He probably doesn't remember the night anyway and if he does he won't care. I was probably just another girl he hasn't been with that he could try to put his spell on. Stupid Shakespeare quoting loser. What was up with that anyway? How does he know Shakespeare? He despises everything muggle. Something is really off about that. I need to know what is going on. And I need to know it now. It's just not right. Maybe I dreamed the whole thing? No I didn't sleep. Did I? _

Hermione has spent over 45 minutes in the shower. Some other girls are starting to come in and take over the quiet room with their laughing and talking and the echo in the room makes it even louder. Hermione doesn't know how quick she has to get out of there. There is only one place where she can get the peace she desires. The room of requirement. Hermione practically runs up the stairs but has to wait on the stairs to fly to the right floor. Everybody is talking and Hermione gets the feeling that she has missed some big event. _Has Dumbledore announced something big that is going to happen? Have there been any attacks by death eaters?_ All sorts of crazy thoughts run through her head but when she gets to the seventh floor she realizes what they are all talking about. She sees a pamphlet on the wall. It says:

WANTED

The mystery girl from the party last night. I will reward everyone who can give me information about this girl. She was wearing a Green dress and a green mask and she has brown eyes. Please contact me. Draco Malfoy.

Hermione is stunned. _I guess he does remember me. _She hears people screaming below her and she looks down the staircase. A group of wild girls is trying to get to Draco but they are being held off by Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle. Draco is trying his very best to get away. The sight is pretty humorous actually.

"I know that I was seeing double at some point but I think I would have remembered if my mystery girl was actually my group of mystery girls." Draco tells his friends.

"Looks like you are in trouble mate" Blaise answers and Crabbe and Goyle just giggle a bit in their own weird ways.

"I need to get to the room of you know what. At least I will have some quiet time on my own there!"

_Oh no he is not going to steel my spot. I was here first. _Quickly Hermione mutters what kind of a room she needs and slips through the door just seconds before the Slytherins arrive.

"Damn it! What other son of a bitch knows about this room?!" she hears Draco yell on the other side of the door and she can't help but smile a little.

"I hate to break it to you but this isn't really one of Hogwarts best kept secret rooms"

"Well it should have been!" Draco snaps angrily. "Shit! Run!"

Hermione laughs. _Looks like a lot of girls took your request of getting in touch with him too literal. _Hermione turns around. It's the first time she actually looks around. Hermione asked for a quiet place where she could rest. The room is small and cozy. It has a couch, a fireplace, a bed, a little kitchen and across the room she sees a door that says ladies room. There is even a small table with a chair where she could study. When she thinks about studying her books appear on the table, along with her notes. She lets herself fall onto the bed in the room. The room has outdone itself once more. This is perfect. She thinks about whether or not to confront Draco and with that thought she dozes of to her much wanted sleep.


	5. Letters

**Author's note: Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for reading and the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate every single one of them. Many of you asked me to update more as soon as possible and well, I have a confession to make. I have about 20 chapters ready now. I will update one every three to four days, like I've been doing up until now. Don't hate me. The reason is that the last time I posted pretty much all the chapters I had for this other story of mine called the game in the summer. Then school started and I was really busy. Between chapters was sometimes a week or even two or three weeks. Therefore I try to have some chapters to update for when I don't have time or inspiration to write. I believe it's better to have one chapter every three or four days instead of 20 now and then one every month. I hope you agree or at least respect my decision. **

**Anyway, enough said. I don't like author's note, it's about the story itself after all. That is why I don't usually write one. Just remember: I love it that you take the time to read and maybe even review to my stories. If you like this story, check out some of my other fan fictions. Finally a sad announcement: I do not own Harry Potter, as you all no. I write for fun and to practice my English, no money is being made with this. **

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: Letters**

When Hermione wakes up again her head ache is almost gone and she feels a lot better. She had a dream about Draco. About haw he was being chased by millions of loose chickens and cows and she was a cowboy or something and she rescued him from the wild farm animals. It was weird. Hermione shakes her head and decides to forget the dream. She walks over to the small kitchen and pours herself a nice glass of water and sits down at the table. At the same moment a quill and paper appear.

_Okay. I am really going to do this. I am going to contact Malfoy. But what am I going to say? _

_Hey there Draco.. Guess what I'm your mystery girl. I'm Hermione Granger. The Muggle born that you have hated ever since you first laid eyes on me. Isn't it cute? _

She smiles to herself.

_How stupid is that? No I can't let him know who I am. He thinks I'm a pureblood anyway. I want to ask him about Shakespeare but when I do that he will know that I am a Muggle born witch. But is that so bad? I'm proud of who I am. I don't want to scare him off though. Let's just leave that issue for now. I will tell him eventually. Right? _

-Dear Draco Malfoy,

I saw your flyers. I must say I was impressed that you remembered me. We only talked for a few minutes. I was also amazed that you cared enough to go through all that to find me. And with all that I mean that crazy fan club of yours. Which is truly pathetic if I may say so. Do you actually like having them chase you around like that? Anyway I don't want you to know who I am. I do have a few questions for you. For starters I looked up that poem you told me and it turned out to be from a play named Romeo and Juliet. I couldn't help but notice that the author was a Muggle. Everyone knows you hate Muggles. How do you know about that play and why would you quote a part from it? I would also like to know why you want to contact me when you clearly have a girlfriend. And last but not least I would like to know if you have any idea whatsoever who I am.

Love, your mystery girl.

Ps. Just send this bird back with your reply, it knows where to go.-

_Well, that ought to do it. I will send it right after dinner. I must have slept all day. It's almost dark outside and I am very hungry by now. _Hermione get's her things together and whispers a small thank you to the room and then leaves with the letter carefully tucked away between her potions books. Hermione always thanks the room after she has been there. It still amazes her how perfect the room measures up to her desires. Ron commented her that it was silly and lame to thank a room that was just enchanted to do just that and isn't even alive so it doesn't have any feelings anyway. Hermione didn't listen and still does it every time she leaves the room. But only in a whisper.

**-**Dear mystery girl,

If you don't tell me who you are? How do I know it's really you?

Draco-

Hermione is alone in the Gryffindor common room. Everybody has gone to sleep but Hermione is still studying. Well at least that is what she told her friends. The minute everybody was gone she send the letter. She has no idea if he will reply and if he does if it will be right away, but Hermione is too anxious to know the answers to her questions to go to sleep or work so she just sits there, staring at the window with Crookshanks on her lap purring while she pets him. Hermione receives the letter right after she had sent her own.

Draco is in the common room himself. He can't get the girl out of his mind. All day he has had girls from various years declare their love for him and tell him that they were his mystery girl. It made him sick. Neither of those girls can actually be the one, but who is she? All sorts of questions run through his mind when a really annoying bird starts to tap on the window. _Stupid bird _he thinks to himself. _Nobody wants to read their mail now! Who sends something at this hour? _More tapping on the window, louder this time. _I'm not letting that stupid bird in! _When the tapping continues and he can't shut his ears from the noise he gets up and opens the window. The letter attached to its paw says Draco. _It's for me! What could that be? I don't get letters._ He opens it and starts to read. _It's another girl trying to convince me it's her. She does know a lot. How could she know all of that? She could have been standing behind us or something and hear the conversation. But if she is just one of those crazy girls that has been bugging me all day then why is there no name? Maybe I should reply. You never know right?_

-I guess you can't know if I'm really her, but right now I'm guessing I'm your best shot.-

-Fine, I'll answer your questions but you have to answer mine first. What is your eye color?-

-Brown with a tiny bit of green but you could have missed it; the light wasn't too great in there. Besides a simple spell could have changed my entire look for that night-

-I believe you. And I did see the green. I don't know if I can trust you yet, like you say so yourself, you can easily change the way you look. For all I know you're really ugly. So because of that trust issue I'm going to skip the first question. For now. First of all, how could I forget you? And I don't have a girlfriend. If you meant pansy, she is just around me all the time and the girl just doesn't give up. After trying everything to get her away I just try to ignore her now. It's easier. She only bothers me now when she cries when I don't show at a date she planned for us without asking me if I could come or even wanted to. And to the last question I have to say no. I haven't got a clue. How about we finish what we started at the party and I'll guess?-

-Are you telling me he Slytherin prince only judges a book on its cover? I'm glad I didn't tell you who I am.

I'm shocked. You have to admit, that pansy is fighting very hard for what she wants. Sometimes you just have to know when to give up though. You keep guessing if you want. How about truth? You can ask me anything you want and I have to answer it truthfully. But, you have to answer them too. And if you ask me anything I don't want to answer I won't. Deal?-

-Maybe I do, but so what? With my looks and reputation I get to be picky about whom I date.

Deal, but if I answer my question you have to answer too, otherwise it won't be fair-

-We'll see. It all depends on the question. What do you want to know? And I wasn't just talking about dating, but in general-

-Whatever, just forget I told you.

Let's see, first five.

Do you go to Hogwarts? Yes

What house are you in? Slytherin

What year are you in? 6

How old are you? 17

Do you play Quiddich? Yes –

-Yes, I won't say it's too easy, 6, 16, no. Can I ask questions too?-

-Of course but you have to answer it first. It's your own rule. Here are my next questions.

Do you have any classes with me? I have all classes with me

Do you think I'm cute? Very, *laughing*, sorry it's stupid to answer these about myself.

What do you do in the weekends? I mostly play Quiddich.

Do you have a boyfriend? No, and I never will-

-Yes, are you kidding me? I study or I hang out with friends, no.

Why won't you tell me about the Muggle play? I can't really answer this one can I? -

-Just answer the question. Unless you think I'm extremely ugly and conceited then just don't say it. But if you don't say anything I'll know anyway so maybe you should just answer.

About Romeo and Juliet, since you can't answer the question I don't have to either. Anyway here's the story. When I was a kid my parents never really watched me. I was curious so one day I went into the Muggle world. By accident of course. I got curious when I finally realized where I was. It was even better because it was forbidden. That made me even more curious. Everybody looked at me and said aahw. Since I was just a kid it wasn't strange for me to be wearing wizards clothes, they must have thought I was playing a wizard or something. I loved everything I saw. There was this big building somewhere in London, there was a huge queue in front of it. I used my puppy dog eyes and they let me in. An old lady saw me and she paid for me. The building was a theatre and they played Romeo and Juliet. So that's how I know it. I loved it and I've just always remembered those words. I've never told anyone this so you better keep your mouth shut.

I won't tell you how I feel about Muggles. Ever since I was a little boy I was taught to hate them, that's all I know.-

-Fine I never actually looked at you. But come to think of it, you're pretty good looking. Happy? It's a good thing you don't know who I am. You would never have believed me then.

It's sad how your parents didn't watch you. Do they know you went to the Muggle world?-

-I'm very happy.

Why wouldn't I believe you? Do we know each other then?

My parents never found out.

It's getting late, maybe we should continue tomorrow night?-

-Maybe.

I'd love to. I'll write you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.-

-Sweet dreams-


	6. Chasing chickens

**Chapter 6: Chasing chickens**

"Good morning class! In today's class you will be working transforming a personal item that you were supposed to bring with you into something as ordinary as a photo. That way nobody will recognize the item. Did you all bring a personal item with you?" Their transfiguration professor asks them.

"Yes" everybody says, some a bit hesitant if they will be able to do the spell without damaging the item they brought.

"I shouldn't have brought this sweater mum made me for Christmas with me" Ron whispers to Harry, clearly terrified. "Mum will kill me when it gets lost, I don't even want to know what she'll do to me when I use it in class and I mess up the spell!"

"Why did you bring that anyway?" Harry replies, trying hard not to laugh at the image Ron pictured him.

"It has my initials on it, I figured that would make it personal" Harry laughs but doesn't say anything when the professor gives both of them a look that shows that he isn't happy that they were talking through his lesson. But Ron didn't see the look and continues whining about his bad choice.

"Mr. Weasley, maybe it would be better if you'd pay attention when I'm explaining the spell, or have you forgotten the last lesson, where you almost blew up Mr. Potter?"

"I'm Sorry" He says quietly, turning red while staring at his suddenly very interesting desk.

"Where was I? Oh yes, the words.." He continues to explain the spell and then tells everybody to get a napkin and try it on that first.

Most people get it right the first time and move on to their personal items. Hermione took her Diary with her and she easily turned it into a picture of her smiling with a big pile of books in her arms, including her diary. Harry has some trouble with the spell but after three times it works and he tries the spell on the photo album Hagrid gave him at the end of the first year. The one with the pictures of his parents. Luckily it worked and he is now looking at a picture of his parents creating the album, sitting next to each other and picking out pictures that they want to put in it. Harry is lost in his photo and doesn't see what happens right next to him. Ron has now moved on to the sweater as well, after failing about fifteen times on the napkin before he got it right. With a big smile on his face, the last couple of spells took him a couple of weeks before he could do it, he gets his wand and starts the spell. Of course it has to go wrong. He has to wave his wand in a certain way and he is supposed to point his wand directly at the object at the end of the spell. But Ron messes it up. He even says the words wrong. That's why he didn't get to finish the wave of his wand.

When he says the spell his wand is pointing at the ceiling that is made of millions of pieces of mirror that points in different directions. The spell multiples and hits several students, desks, books and personal objects. All of them turn into very noisy chickens. Half of the students have been turned into chickens and some of the walls are gone. The students that haven't been hit, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and surprisingly Neville Longbottom now have to chase after the chickens making sure they don't get out of the classroom, which would have been a lot easier when there were still walls and doors that could keep every single one of them inside. Since the teacher is gone too Hermione takes charge and starts yelling at people what to do. She sends Neville out to get the first teachers he can find and get them to the classroom. Everyone else has to help her gather the chickens together. Draco and Blaise can't stop laughing at the sight of the three students running after about a hundred chickens. A few of them even escape. "Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini move your lazy asses and help!" This makes them laugh even louder and they are currently rolling on the floor. When a chicken tries to climb on top of Draco he screams and runs out of the classroom, followed by his best friend laughing at his girlish reaction. Crabbe looks at them leaving but he is too scared of Hermione to leave too and keeps helping. Well at least he tries. He keeps tripping over the birds and when he falls for the seventh time he can't get up, he is just too exhausted, he never actually does any sport and this is just too much. He lies on the ground and the birds start running over him. Trying to get them off of him he kicks and screams around in the air. It's truly pathetic.

Pretty soon Neville comes back followed by Dumbledore who casts a spell to turn all the chickens back into their original state. Then he uses another spell to get the walls and the doors, which ran away, back into place along with all the tables and the objects. Ron doesn't get detention, Dumbledore figures that he will be hearing a lot about this for the rest of the year. Or maybe even the rest of his years at Hogwarts. That should be punishment enough. The rest of the day's classes have been canceled for the students that were in this class. The whole event was traumatizing. Some students were still making chicken noises after two hours. Ron was utterly embarrassed and Hermione was angry at Ron at first but she was too tired to scream at him. They all get back to their houses and after an hour Hermione leaves to go to the library to study. It seems like she is the only one who didn't agree with Dumbledore that it was a good idea to take the rest of the day off.

That evening Hermione gets another letter from Draco.

-Do you have transfiguration with me? Today's class was hilarious. The weasel messed up a spell again and turned half the classroom into chickens. Granger went crazy, she and loony Lovegood and even Crabbe were running around chasing the chickens. Granger made even more noise than those freaking birds! And the best part, we got the day off! How was your day? Were you one of the chickens?-

Hermione decides to tell him she is not in that class with him, if she'd tell him she is than he would know she is either herself or Luna, not a great idea. Or she'd have to make him think she was a chicken but then he would probably ask her what it was like and she has no clue.

-So that's what happened! I was wondering what those chickens were doing in the hallway. I saw a few of them running past me. They scared me at first. You don't see that every day. Too bad I'm not in that class, it sounds pretty funny. –

Looking back at the whole scene it was actually kind of funny, Ron sure knows how to make a dull class funny. The poor guy will surely be hearing about this incident a lot, Dumbledore was right about that.


	7. Stupid little fights

**Authors note: **

**Hello everyone! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I'm glad you like it. I'm going on holiday tomorrow so I won't be able to update for two weeks. Here are two more chapters and then you'll have to wait. I'll update as soon as possible when I get back.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 7: Stupid little fights**

For months everything is going great. Every night Hermione and Draco exchange letters. Each one gets more and more personal. Draco tells her everything he is feeling, since he doesn't know who she is and he knows she won't tell the letters make him feel save. Hermione was hesitant at first to tell him anything personal. He is the person who has been calling her names for 5 years. Another thing that frightened her was that she might give something away by which he will know that it's her. She actually got quite fond of writing to him. It's easy to have someone to talk to that won't judge you, who doesn't know what you look like. Someone you can confess your true feelings to. After a while she has gotten used to it.

"Morning Mione" chorused Harry and Ron.

"Morning" she smiled. "What are you two fussing about?"

"We were talking about Voldemort actually" Ron tells her.

"We think it's weird that we haven't heard anything lately" Harry adds.

"Do you think he is planning something big?" Ron asks Hermione. "We think so."

"I don't know what to think"

"Well we have to go to breakfast before it's over and we can't talk there. We'll discuss it further tonight." Harry says and they all get up and go downstairs.

"Hey guys can I sit with you?" Luna asks them. Ron and Hermione look at each other with a look saying what the hell.

"Of course" Harry says happily and scoots over to make room for her. Hermione raises an eyebrow at harry, silently demanding an explanation. And she gets one. One she would never have guessed. Harry and Luna are sitting at one side of the table, Hermione and Ron at the other.

"We have something to tell you" Harry tells his friends a bit hesitant but Luna and Ron don't notice it.

"You know I've been gone a lot lately right?"

"Yeah you've been studying a lot. Why?" Ron asks, filling his mouth with some pancakes.

"Well I wasn't studying" 'pause' "I was with Luna, we have been going out for a while now" silence. Harry looks a bit scared, he expected a lot of different reactions. From 'are you kidding' to 'good for you'. What he hadn't expected was silence. And he was getting a lot of it from his friends.

"And I thought you finally realized the importance of homework" Hermione tells him in an attempt to break the awkward atmosphere and smiles.

"I'm afraid I never will" he smiles back, relieved the silence is over. Harry looks at Luna to see how she is doing and they give each other a small comforting smile. "Are you okay too Ron?" Harry asks his best friend.

"I.. I.. Guess. I don't know what to say." Harry looks a little disappointed.

"All he is trying to say is that he needs a little time to get used to the idea, we didn't see it coming." Hermione saves him.

"Yeah that's what I meant" Harry smiles a little again. He had expected it to be hard after all.

That night

"Why loony Lovegood?" Ron asks Harry

"Don't call her that!"

"Fine. But she is weird"

"She's interesting"

"She believes in Nargles for Merlin sake"

"You believed in creatures stealing your underwear and replacing them for male thongs"

"Well that could have been true"

"Please Ron, with the twins around how could you even consider giving the credit for that to anyone or anything else. You made those creatures up and you believed in them like you believed in Santa when you were little. If you think she's crazy you should really get a good look at yourself mate, cause you have Fred and George around and it was obvious they held the blame but Luna doesn't have anything to blame the freaky accidents around her on."

"You're comparing me to her? What kind of a friend are you?"

"I like her! So why does it matter that I compare her to you. I'm really disappointed in you Ron. I was sure you could look past this for me but apparently you can't!"

"Well it is quite shocking!"

"Ron, Harry, stop it!" Hermione pushes the two friends apart and steps in between them before they can attack each other, Muggle style or wizard style. "Harry, we need a little time to adjust to this, we didn't see it coming. Ron will get over it just give him some time. And Ron, grow up! Harry is your best friend and you trust him with your life so why would you even think that you can't trust him in picking a girlfriend? If they don't work out Ron, and I'm not saying that they are not, but _if_ they aren't then I do not want to hear I told you so from you or I will curse you to hell and back. Now stop arguing! I was trying to study! You ought to try it sometime. Both of you!"


	8. Dreams and insults

**Chapter 8: Dreams and Insults**

After Hermione broke her two best friends away from each other in their stupid little fight she goes upstairs. She is done with her homework and she is thinking about what Harry and Ron were talking about before breakfast. They were supposed to talk more about it that night but the whole thing about Harry getting together with Luna kind of got in the middle. _They really should look at the big picture sometimes._ Hermione thinks to herself but she also realizes that there is no way she can have a serious talk with those two at the moment. Instead she decides to write to Draco about it.

-Hi Draco, my friends and I were talking this morning about Voldemort and how quiet he has been lately. We think maybe he's planning something big? What do you think?-

-I think that this Potions assignment is shit, I don't get it at all. Do you?-

-Yeah what don't you get? But what do you think about Voldemort?-

-I don't think about him until I get my homework done. Its due tomorrow you know.-

The next couple of the letters were about the potions assignment. Hermione decides to not give all the answers, most people thought it is hard. She doesn't want to give away her identity. She doesn't get back to the subject on Voldemort but she thinks it is strange how Draco avoided the question. Later Draco came up with a new subject.

-What are your dreams? What do you want to be when you grow up? Love Draco-

-I'm not sure. I think I want to help people. Maybe I want to be a teacher here or maybe I want to be an Auror. I honestly don't know. I hear people telling me all the time that I should at least have an idea what I want but I don't. It's so unlike me to not have something planned. I kind of like it. I want to do something spontaneous. I'm never spontaneous. I want to just take a bus and after a while get out, to find myself in a city that I don't know. Without having to think about the time or what I have to do the next day. It's probably stupid. We can't even go far away with Voldemort out there somewhere. It's best to stay with our loved ones. But it would be nice don't you think? Just run away for a little while without thinking. Who am I kidding? I couldn't do that. I'd be completely free and still worry about everything. I wish this whole thing with Voldemort could just be over with. I hate it that we don't know where he is, what he's planning. I'd rather just fight. What are your dreams?"

- Your dream seems lovely. Maybe one day you can make it come true. Do you want to know what I want? I want to meet you. Without a mask on your face this time.-

-You know we can't meet Draco, I've told you that a million times.-

-I don't understand? Why don't you want to meet me? You can't hate me, you wouldn't be writing me if you did.-

-I don't hate you. It's just, complicated-

-It doesn't have to be-

-Just stop asking. I won't meet you in person. It's just not a good idea. Let it go.-

-I won't. But I'll shut up about it. How is your mother doing? Is she feeling better?-

-Yes she is actually. It was just a little cold I guess. She'll be fine. I'm going home for Christmas, I'll make her some potions to make her heal faster. Are you going home?-

-No I'm staying. My father doesn't want me home. Blaise is staying too. We'll have fun. We might throw a little party. If you'd stay you could come too.-

-Sounds like fun. But I'm not staying. I couldn't come anyway, you know that. I'm going to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow-

-Fine. You could have worn that mask again you know. Anyway, goodnight-

The next day in potions class

"Mione? Can you help me and Luna? Somewhere we went in the wrong direction. A certain someone whom I won't name put the ingredients in the cauldron in the wrong order. I'm kind of scared to put in the last bits. You remember the last time it went wrong. Snape made us clean the entire classroom till our hands were all red and covered with blisters."

"Of course I will help you" Hermione answers and she walks over to where Harry is working on his potion with Luna. In the beginning of the year she and Luna were partners and Harry and Ron worked together. Then Harry and Luna started dating and Ron kept asking for her help, unwilling to listen to Harry, so they switched partners.

"What did you put in the potion already and in what order?" She asks Harry.

"Well a certain someone put in the slug horn and the wormseeds and then those leave thingies of which I can't remember the name"

"Luna you should really pay a lot more attention! This could have gone horribly wrong! Let's see, if my calculations are correct then you should still get a nice enough potion if you put this in first and then add that." She says pointing at a slimy substance that she was afraid to touch.

"Could you do that for me?" Harry asks her. Hermione gives her friend a disapproving look and then does what he asks of her.

At first the fluid in the cauldron starts boiling which is a good sign. Although this is a bit much but you can't expect everything to go well. But now her luck seems to have run out for the day because the potion is turning green and green smoke is coming from it. Harry and Luna jump away but Hermione gets the full hit and although she tries to get away as fast as she can she is already covered with the green smoke and of course she has to trip over Harry's chair. Great. Now she is lying on the ground, entirely green from the smoke and the potion that she spilled while falling. She had to hold on to something and the cauldron was the only stable thing near. Well so it seemed at the moment.

"Look at Granger!" a voice comes from across the room and a blond Slytherin comes strolling her way, along with pretty much the rest of the class.

"You've always been ugly but at least you had some brains but you clearly don't even have that anymore!"He laughs and adds "but I have to take back the ugly part now, you look a lot better with that green mess all over you!" they laugh and Harry helps her up. Tears start filling Hermione's eyes.

"Are you going to cry? Not so tough now that you can't hide behind your cover now are you?" Blaise tells her. Draco is quiet. The moment he saw her cry he felt pretty bad. He has never felt sorry for his victims but for whatever reason it hurts to see her cry, maybe because his comments never seemed to hurt her before. Blaise hits Draco on his back needing him to remain standing. The laughing was too much for him. Hermione's dark brown wet eyes meet his silver grey shocked ones. Hermione shakes her head, not breaking the eye contact. Then she turns around straightens her back and walks out of the classroom without looking behind her. She hears Harry say her name but it's like he is a mile away.

The moment she is out of the room and sure nobody can see her anymore she starts running towards the prefects' bathroom, tears running down her cheeks. Harry follows her. He finds her on the ground in the bathroom crying and gets on his knees and comforts her. "Why do you let him get to you so much? You never let that happen! I don't understand." He asks her, but she doesn't say anything. She just cries.

Later that night Hermione writes Draco again. At first she wanted to stop writing but she just wants to talk to him now too, even if he was the one who hurt her. She wants to talk to the other Draco, the Draco that has been writing her and asking her about her mother when she's been sick, the nice Draco.

She will not get a reply that night. It is already late and he is probably asleep. The next day they will leave for Christmas holiday. Hermione is glad to be able to get away. She has made up her mind, she won't write to Draco again after this letter. She will probably get an answer to her last letter but she will not open it. The whole thing is stupid. Their friendship isn't real. He isn't real. She has to stop, after this final letter.

-I saw your little show this afternoon. The one where you hurt that Gryffindor girl Granger. I heard she cried. Are you proud of yourself? I really don't understand you. You always hurt people, first year students, and muggleborns. You seem like a totally different person in real life than in these letters you send me. I may not tell you who I am but at least I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not. _You_ are the one hiding behind a mask. So which is your real face?-


	9. The christmas spirit

**I'm back from my holiday. I've had a great time. Sorry to keep you waiting for two weeks. As promised a new chapter the day I got back. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 9: The Christmas spirit**

The Weasleys and Harry:

"Wake up mate. We've got work to do!" Ron Says pulling Harry's sheets away. "We must go Christmas shopping. The sooner we leave the sooner we're back!"

"What? You want to leave now? What time is it?"

"It's eight AM but Ginny and mom have been up for hours. They gave us only half an hour to get ready to leave. It's absurd. We need to have a good breakfast!"

"If you wanted a good breakfast you should have come downstairs earlier!" Molly lectures him from the hallway. "Harry dear, would you get up please? We intend to leave in thirty minutes"

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley. I'll hurry up."

"I'm not looking forward to this one bit. Every year we have to come up with something new

to give each other and its stupid" Ron tells his friend who gets out of his bed.

"It's not so bad Ron, we'll find something"

"What are you going to get Luna?"

"I have no idea."

"Well good luck finding a Nargle for her" He laughs, but he's the only one.

Hermione: 

"Good morning mother. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm doing okay dear. Would you help me with breakfast? I'm still a little dizzy sometimes."

"Of course I will."

"Are you meeting your friends this afternoon?"

"Yes we are going Christmas shopping together. Ginny and I need to help the boys find Christmas presents. They don't want us to tell them what to buy but they do need help. We will do what we do every year; when Ginny and I see something for one another we plant it in front of their noses. You should see the look on their faces every time something great just happens to pop up in front of them. It's hilarious."

"Don't they notice?"

"No not really. We do think Harry might suspect something but Ron doesn't notice a thing. He's too happy to find something in the first place so he can go somewhere else."

"What time will you be leaving?"

"I'll leave right after breakfast mother. We wanted to go early before it becomes too crowded to see anything"

Draco and Blaise:

"Draco, do you have everything we need for tonight?"

"No we need more booze. I'm not planning on remembering tonight"

"Me neither" Blaise tells him and laughs. "I need to get some Christmas gifts too"

"Yeah me too"

"Oh Drakey you don't have to buy me something" Blaise blinks mimicking pansy's voice and Draco hits him with a pillow in a brotherly fashion.

"Shut up Blaise it's not for you"

"Who could you possibly be buying a present for? You aren't seriously buying pansy something are you?"

"Of course not, it's for someone else"

"Who is it for?"

"I honestly don't know"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Forget it. Why don't you just worry about your seven girlfriends?" Blaise laughs.

"I will."

Diagon alley:

"I'm so glad I found the perfect present for both Hermione and my sister. It's amazing how good I actually am at this even though I don't like it." Ron says to Harry excitedly who answers with "you were great Ron Really" while looking suspiciously at the two girls who are chatting about their gifts as well.

"Look what we have here" they hear the voice of a blond haired Slytherin to their right. He comes out of the most expensive jewelry store in Diagon alley. Whatever he bought there must have cost a fortune. "You don't think you can buy your beloved Granger something Here do you Weasley?"

"Shut it Malfoy Ron doesn't even have a crush on me that's just a rumor" Hermione snaps. Ron blushes and has a sudden fascination for his shoes.

"Right" Draco says not believing it.

"And you Granger, you don't even have someone to buy something for in here"

"Mind your own business Malfoy. Like you have anyone to buy presents for. Your family doesn't even want you at home for Christmas" she was sorry about her commend the moment it shot out of her mouth.

"Stupid Mudblood. You have no idea what you're talking about" He sounds only angry but she saw the hurt in his eyes. It was there for a second but it was there none the less.

"Let's go mate, they aren't worth our time." Blaise pulls Draco away in the opposite direction.

"Good job Mione. You really gave him hell" Ron tells her.

"Yeah I did" she says with a small voice.

Later Ginny asks her what's wrong.

"I don't know gin, I know he's always been mean to me but I think I actually hurt his feelings by saying that. I never meant for that to happen. I don't know I'm just confused."

"Is this about what happened the last day at school? In potions class I mean."

"A bit but not really. I'll explain later okay?"

"Sure. Just know I'm here to listen when you need me to."

"Thanks Ginny you're the best" the two friends hug. After this they all say goodbye. Hermione goes home to spend the first day of Christmas with her parents. The second day of Christmas she'll spend with the Weasleys. Harry is visiting Luna for the first Day and The twins are going off to their girlfriends too.

The next morning at Hermione's house:

"Good morning mother. What's wrong?"

"I think you should read this dear" she tells her while handing her the morning paper from the wizarding world. She registered to it after Hermione's first year. She wanted to know what was going on when her daughter was right in the middle of all the drama.

_Tonight there have been several attacks. Four families were found dead in their apartment. Neither was pureblood. We expect it to be the work of the dark lord. Be warned. Nobody knows what's going on and what will happen. Keep your children inside and lock the doors carefully. …_

The article goes on but Hermione stopped reading. She lets herself fall into a chair in the kitchen next to her mother and stares straight ahead.

At the weasleys everyone is talking and nobody is listening. The attacks shocked everyone. Harry and Ron are speculating on what could be the next attack. Later Harry sends Luna a letter asking her if she and her family are okay and that he won't be joining them that day. Hermione came to their house too and that afternoon the order had a meeting. At Hogwarts people are panicking and running around. The only one who isn't is Draco Malfoy. Who was expecting the attacks for a while.


	10. Threats

Disclaimer: Sadly I still don't own Harry Potter. Enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think.

**Chapter 10: Threats **

The order decided that it was best for the three students to get back to Hogwarts. It isn't safe at home and they might be doing exactly what Voldemort wants them to by staying home and planning the fight of all fights. As expected several students didn't come back after the holiday. That might not be such a bad idea either. Harry, Ron and Hermione will be cutting most of the classes. Well Harry and Ron will. Hermione will try to do both her research and her homework. It's bugging her more than anything that she doesn't know yet which families were attacked. It wasn't in the papers and the order didn't know yet either.

"Ronald what do you think you are doing?" Hermione asks him angrily.

"Eating"

"You shouldn't be eating now Ron. You should be helping Harry! Where did you get that anyway?"

"The kitchen of course and how can I be helping when my stomach is aching!"

She sights. "Fine just hurry up"

"Yes ma'am" Hermione shoots an angry look at him but then leaves. She is heading for the library to do some more research on horcruxes. Hermione turns around the corner and sees Draco standing there with some of his friends. Before he could see her she gets back. She stands against the wall with her books hold tight to her chest. She is holding her breath. I hope he didn't see me she's thinking. _What am I doing? He doesn't even know it was me! He must think I'm such a dork if he did see me. Stupid Malfoy even when he isn't even speaking to me he's annoying!_ She takes a deep breath and continuous to walk to the library without looking at him. She sighs when she gets there. _I'm being awfully stupid. Why do I let him have this effect on me?_

"Hermione, are you done?" Harry asks her with Ron by his side.

"I'm almost done, why?"

"Dumbledore wants to speak to us as soon as possible."

"Give me a second to pack all these books and I'm ready"

"Do you have the password?" Hermione asks Harry.

"No. Some second year came to us to deliver the message. Maybe Dumbledore didn't want him to know the password."

"Well he's expecting us so he will probably come to check if we are here already."

"I hope so. I don't want to miss dinner because of this stupid conversation"

"Shut up Ron" both his friends tell him. "Could you stop thinking about food and start thinking about the war for a second?"

Before he could answer the Gargoyle moved and the stairs to Dumbledore's office became visible. They climbed the stairs, knocked on the door and went inside, wondering what Dumbledore has to tell them."

"Good afternoon. Please take a seat. Could I offer any of you a chocolate frog?"

"No thank you professor" They answered.

"I just got one with a card of myself. For some reason the magic card of me doesn't like me. Every time he sees me he looks angry and then he's gone. I don't understand do any of you?"

"I have no idea Professor. I don't want to be rude but I'm sure you didn't want us to come here to talk about magic cards did you?" Harry asks him.

"No of course not, to the point then. Hogwarts has received some anonymous tip that you three would not be safe here." He hands them each a copy of the letter. "Here you go. Now before you make up your mind about leaving I would like to remind you that we don't know where this came from. Hogwarts is a very safe place for you and by leaving you might be in more danger than you are here. It's not my decision. You are free to leave grounds if you don't feel safe here. Just promise me you will think about ever option."

"Thank you. Do you have any ideas on the names of the attacked families?"

"I know their names Hermione but I think it's best if I don't tell you."

"Does that mean I know them?" she asks scared. Already she has many names rushing through her head.

"Not necessarily. Please don't waste your time trying to find out the names. You are better of not knowing." She nods. She isn't satisfied but she will just have to set her feelings aside.

"Is there any news on Voldemort and his whereabouts?"

"No Harry, there isn't. We are working on it. Please read the letter and think hard about your decision. I can't guarantee that you wish will be granted. The order is discussing what is best right now and you might not get a say in it."

"Then what's the point in making up our minds?" Ron asks.

"I only want you all to think about what is going on and you might come to the same conclusion as the order will. Now, off you go. It's time for dinner. If there is any news I will ask you to come back. If you made up your mind then please inform me but remember, I want you to think it through so I don't expect to see you here with a decision before the end of the week"

"Thank you" Hermione says and the boys nod before they all get up to leave for dinner.

"I have no idea what to do" Hermione tells her friends.

"Well I suggest we'll think about it after dinner." Ron replies without even stopping to fill his mouth with anything he sees.

"You may be right. Let's discuss this tonight." Harry tells them. Hermione agrees and they eat in silence. Harry is thinking about the letter. Hermione couldn't help notice something going on at the Slytherin table. Usually you see Draco talking, Pansy all over him, and the rest laughing. Now she sees something different. Pansy is still talking to him trying to catch his attention as usual but he is quiet. He is playing with his food and he isn't eating anything. Blaise tells him something which makes the rest of the people around them laugh. She can't hear what and she can't hear Draco's reply but she can see that he isn't laughing. He says something angrily and then asks to be excused and leaves. _Wonder what that's all about. _She thinks to herself.


	11. Decisions to make

**Chapter 11: Decisions to make**

"I can't believe these threats. A deatheater is supposed to be inside the castle keeping an eye on us." Harry throws in the group. The trio is sitting in the Gryffindor common room discussing the content of the letter which Dumbledore handed them before dinner.

"It must be Malfoy. We know he's up to something." Ron tells them.

"It's not Malfoy" Hermione tells them a-matter-of-factly, which made her friends look at her confused and curious.

"Why would you say that?" Ron asks her.

She has to think for a moment. She wasn't thinking when she said that.

"Please, Malfoy is such a baby sometimes. He wouldn't be able to handle the pressure. He is always saying how he'll tell his father. His father won't be able to help him when some innocent person he is supposed to torture is giving him a hard time. Besides we were wrong to think he was the heir of Slytherin back is our second year. We spend so much time then, trying to get any information out of him, when he didn't know anything at all. We shouldn't make the same mistake twice." She looks away. She knows Draco would be able to handle it but she can't tell them why she thinks so.

_He has been avoiding my Questions on Voldemort every time it came up. Maybe he's on to something. No, that's not possible. I'd know. Wouldn't I?_

"I still think it is Malfoy" Ron says stubbornly.

"She has a point mate. But whoever it may be where does that leave us?"

"I don't know. I don't think it's wise to leave Hogwarts. We should be careful with our conversations too. But some good silence spells will work right?" Hermione asks them.

"Maybe, I really don't know what we should do. Let me sleep on it." Harry says. "I'm going to bed. I'm really tired and I'm pretty sure it will take some time to fall asleep."

"Goodnight Harry"

"Night mate"

"Goodnight." He smiles at them and leaves. Ron follows soon after but Hermione does some homework before she heads in. She can't risk staying behind.

The next day Hermione goes to potions class alone. Harry and Ron are practicing some new spells she read about in the library the day before. The classroom is awfully empty. Many students didn't return after the holidays. Hermione suspects that even some that did come back to school decided to skip potions class. It's not even such a bad idea considering his mood today. Hermione quickly counts the number of students and notices that they can all be counted on her fingers. There are no more than 9 students. There are three Gryffindor students and six Slytherin students. It's not the only thing she notices. Draco isn't there either.

_Why would he be cutting potions? He is the only one Snape actually likes. All he does in this class is relaxing and getting compliments. It must be such a great time for an arrogant pig like him. Still, he isn't here. _

That day they made a head start on creating a truth potion. After class Hermione decided it was a waste of time. He couldn't give her any information on the potion she hadn't already found out herself. She hurries out of the room and goes to the room of requirement where Harry and Ron ought to be.

"This is so not my fault!" Ron shouts at Harry

"Not your fault? How could it not be your fault? You're the one who shot the bloody spell at me!"

"How could I have known you'd look like that?"

"You could have cared enough to pronounce it right!"

"Don't blame me Harry, blame Hermione! She should have known I wouldn't be able to pronounce it right!"

"You can read can't you?" Hermione asks him while entering the room.

"Well, yes but, still"

"No buts! It is your own fault. What happened anyway?" Harry, who had been hiding behind a pillar, walks towards them. Hermione can't help but laugh. Harry turned into a woman. He's still wearing his own clothes but that's all that shows it's him.

"Harry, is that you?"

"Yes it's me!" he sounds very, very angry. Hermione is struggling to hold back her laughter. He still sounds like himself. It's so weird. It's such a low voice to be coming out of a woman's mouth.

"Stop laughing and help me!"

"Harry I understand how frustrating this must be for you but I have no idea how to turn you back! What spell did you use Ron?"

"The one which was supposed to levitate him to the ceiling and leave him hanging there paralyzed."

"You must be joking! How did you get from that," She points at Harry "to this?"

"I don't know!"

"Well figure it out!" Harry shouts at him, clearly not seeing the funny part

"Oh come on Harry" Hermione tells him "It is a little funny!"

"No it's not!" he shouts back at her.

"Hey mate, looks like you are going to be the first of us to touch a woman's body!" Ron laughs "your own body!"

"Ronald! That's awful!" Hermione tells him and is just in time to duck from the pillow thrown at her head.

Harry grunts something and is throwing random things at his friends from where he stands. Anything will do. Too bad there isn't much around. Hermione and Ron Laugh, duck, laugh some more and quickly leave the room.

"Ronald, where are you going?" Hermione asks him when they're out of the room.

"I'm going to get lunch of course!"

"Excuse me?"

"What? I'd only get in your way when I come with you to the library and I'm sure you don't want to waste time on me explaining the importance of a full stomach while researching and working now do you?"

Hermione sighs "fine, but make it quick and bring something for Harry and me to eat too."

"Sure" he answers and with that the two friends go their separate ways.


	12. Complications and goodbyes

**Chapter 12: Complications and good-byes**

When Ron and Hermione get back at the room of requirement Hermione quickly fixes Harry and the three of them eat some lunch. Ron took plenty of food for a whole army and they had lots to choose from. "You know who wasn't at the great hall again? Malfoy. I'm telling you he is up to something. He hasn't been to any of the classes and he hasn't been eating either." Ron tells them.

"You sure have been keeping a close eye on him. May I ask why?" Hermione asks.

"Because, I still think he is the deatheater inside the castle! We still need to make up our minds about the threats."

"Maybe Ron is right Mione, we can't rule anything out."

"Well at least we don't have to make a decision anymore"

"Why do you say that?" Ron asks her.

"On my way back from the library I bumped into a kid claiming Dumbledore has requested a meeting with us, we must go there when we finish lunch"

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Harry asks

"Well I was too busy saving your ass, remember? At least now it fits into your jeans again" Hermione tells them and smiles.

"Fine, let's hurry up. I'm curious what Dumbledore has to tell us."

Dumbledore tells them about the order's decision. Hermione has to stay in school for research and Harry and Ron are going away. People are supposed to believe the trio is still at school and since no one would believe they would leave Hermione behind, or that she would let them, she will. She will also have to turn into Harry and Ron from time to time so no one will get suspicious. They don't have to worry about them missing classes since they weren't going to any lately anyway. Hermione tries to change Dumbledore's mind but the order has made the decision and they supposedly know what's best. They can't argue. Dumbledore tells them some other things about the mission and then sends them off to pack what they desperately need. Everything else must stay behind so it won't raise suspicions.

_I am looking forward to pretending to be Harry and Ron. She tells herself sarcastically. Especially Ron at dinner! Merlin, I will die! And going to the boys' dorm doesn't sound nice either. You can smell the sweaty socks from the hallway. It's bad enough to sneak in there and borrow Harry's cloak and then I'm in and out in ten seconds. Now I actually have to spend time in there!_

"I wish I wouldn't have to leave" Harry tells his girlfriend.

"Don't worry Harry. You can't help it. It's best if you leave."

"Yes you're right. But I'd still rather be with you."

"You will be again Harry. Remember what my mother used to say: The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not only in the way we expect. I trust you will come back to me when this is all over."

"If only not in the way we expect? If you mean in a million pieces by that you aren't helping."

"Of course not silly" Luna grabs his hand. "I have faith in you. You will do great, I believe in you"

She had always believed in him. He remembered the time they fed the Thestrals together in their fifth year. He had felt very alone that time. People didn't believe him when he told them Voldemort was back but she had told him she and her father did. She told him that he shouldn't fear and that there were more people out there that believed him. She had comforted him and she was there the entire time they fought at the ministry. He had been so caught up in his feelings for Cho Chang at the moment that he didn't even see Luna. Now he realizes how they are alike. They are both outsiders in a way. Of course Harry has been popular and nobody notices Luna but nobody knew the real Harry, everyone pictured him as their hero that knew everything and they felt like they didn't have to get to know him because they already did. They expected things from him that he would never do. All sorts of rumors went through school about him. Many about Luna too. Everyone pictured her as the weird girl that talked about unknown creatures like Nargles. They figured they knew everything about her so they didn't take the time to get to know her either. Come to think of it they do make a great match. Harry will miss her when he's gone.

"I know you do. You always have."

"And always will" she smiles and gives him a quick kiss. "Now leave before I won't let you go"

"He smiles. I wish you wouldn't let me go"

"I have to"

"I know. See you soon Luna"

"Goodbye Harry"

Harry turns around and walks towards his friends. At one o clock tonight they have to leave. He says goodnight to Hermione. He listens to her long speech about safety once more and then goes upstairs to go to bed early. Ron does the same thing. Hermione feels quite alone that night. It will be weird not having her two best friends around. She decides to go to bed early too. She has a lot to do tomorrow. When she gets upstairs a note is left on her nightstand. The owl who brought it is still sitting in the windowsill, probably waiting for a treat. She gives it one and looks at the letter. It's from Draco. She puts it away without opening it. She has gotten several other letters after her last one but she hadn't opened any like she promised herself. That night she can't sleep. She keeps thinking about Harry and Ron, if they will be safe. Also she thinks about Draco's weird behavior over the last couple of days. Maybe she should open the letter. If only to find out what's on his mind and causing his behavior. She sighs and mentally slaps herself for her weakness and then gets the letter. She moves over to the window for some light. She can't light a candle because everyone else is fast asleep. With shaky hands she opens the letter and reads.

-I'm in trouble. Meet me at the room of requirement at midnight. I know you know where it is. I know you don't want to meet but it's a matter of life and death. Mine. Please come. You are the only one I can trust. It's about the war. Draco.-


	13. Who are you?

**Chapter 13: Who are you?**

It's half past ten. Hermione must hurry. She has to make sure she gets there first. She doesn't even stop to think if she should go or not. She knows she has to. It will be difficult. She has to think of a way that she doesn't have to reveal her identity to Draco when she meets him. She could always wear the dress and the mask but how will she be unnoticed in a ball gown when she is making her way through the corridors after curfew? Harry will take the invisibility cloak with him so he must have packed it already. If she takes it she won't have a chance to put it back before they leave. She doesn't have any army clothes either although that probably wouldn't do her any good anyway. She will have to go with black that's for sure. Hermione quickly gets dressed in black skinny jeans and a black sweater with long sleeves and a turtleneck. She pulls her hair back into a messy knot onto the back of her head and leaves quietly with her dress and mask in her arms. It would have been so easy if the damn room of requirement was next to the Gryffindor common room. That is what she requires right now. But of course, that wish doesn't come true. Although she took her wand with her she doesn't use it for light. She is too scared to get caught without the safety of the invisibility cloak. The only light showing her the way is the little light from the stars and the moon shining through the windows. She has to hide once from the head boy but he clearly has something else on his mind and doesn't notice her. _I would do so much better as head girl! _She thinks but then shakes away the thought to focus on what she has to do. It was way easier getting to the room than she expected. Besides the head boy she didn't run in to anyone. Not even Draco. That would have been a disaster.

Now what do I need? She decides she has to think fast so she keeps it simple and quickly goes inside. The room is small and it has a wall in the middle with a door. On either side of the wall are a sofa and a small table. On the side of the wall that didn't have the door to the room itself too was a mirror. This would be her side. She goes there and closes the door behind her. Now she will have to wait at least another hour for Draco to show up. Hermione starts to undress. She will wear the dress and the mask just in case he will want to see her, which she is sure he will. Right when she is standing in her underwear she hears someone come in. Thank Merlin for the wall. Then she hears him call her.

"Is anyone here?" Draco asks in the empty part of the room.

"I'm here, what did you want to talk about?"

"How do I know it's you?"

"You will have to trust me on that"

"How do I know you are alone?"

"You don't."

"I won't talk to a wall. This is important. Show yourself"

"Will the mask do?"

"No, I want to see you, and make sure you are alone"

"I was afraid you'd say that" by now Hermione has the dress on and she walks over to the mirror to put on the mask. She ties the ribbons at the back of her head and wraps it around the elastic of her knot too just so it won't come off all that easily. Just to be sure she also puts a spell on it that she is the only one who can remove it.

"Damn woman! Show yourself I don't have all night!"

"Bossy are we?" she takes a deep breath and then opens the door in the wall that separated them.

"Hey you" He says and he smiles at her. Then he walks past her and looks through the door at her side, to check if there is anyone there. There isn't. Hermione thinks of how the wall isn't necessary anymore and it disappears immediately. That entire side of the room disappears and leaves only the one sofa and one table that was on Draco's side. She walks over to the sofa and sits down. He walks up and down the room, lost in his thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asks him. "I thought you didn't have all night"

"I don't but I'm not sure if I can do this"

"Why not?" you know I'm the right girl"

"Yes but this is important. It's about the war. I need to know who you are, where you stand when the war is concerned."

"You want to know if I'm for the light or the dark side."

"Yes."

"The light side"

"What is your relationship to the golden trio?"

"Look Draco, were you here to ask me questions or to tell me something?"

"I can't just tell you this! I could get killed! If they knew I'm even considering what I'm considering!" he holds his hands up in the air desperately.

"Calm down, your secrets are safe with me"

"Are they?"

"Of course"

"I'm going to need your word on that. Are you willing to close a pact?"

"A wizard pact? Are you serious?"

"Yes, everything we say to each other can never be repeated to another living soul in whatever way possible. You can't write it, say it, or even draw it. This will have to be our little secret."

She hesitates at first but then decides that there is no harm in it and she shakes his hand to close the deal.

"Now" Draco starts "remove your mask"

"I cannot do that"

"Just remove the damn mask!"

"No!"

"Look, you got me here. Now stop bossing me around and start telling me why I'm here in the middle of the night" Draco looks really angry and before she knows it she is standing with her back against a wall with him in front of her and his wand at her throat. He is probably just scared. Whatever is bothering him is big and its scaring Hermione how it makes him lose control like that. He is acting so aggressive. She has never seen him like this. He normally doesn't show his emotions and now you can smell the fear from a two mile radius.

"Remove the mask or I will"

"No! Stop it Malfoy! You are telling me right now why I'm here or I'm gone!"

"Why won't you tell me who you are?"

"I don't trust this Draco"

"What?"

"You heard me!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean! This person you play isn't trustworthy and it is nothing like the Draco who has sent me those letters. I don't trust you."

"I already told you what I think about that theory of yours. I send you six letters if I'm correct"

"I didn't read them." She states.

"What?! Fine. That isn't important right now"

"That's true"

He calms down a bit and takes a step back. He is still standing close enough for her to smell the expensive fragrance he is wearing. She doesn't know the name of it. She took a deep breath when he took a step back and decided she liked his smell. It is very manly and rough but when you wait a second you smell the sweet undertones of the fragrance. Her heart starts to race and for a while she can't concentrate on anything she is saying. She wishes he would just take a few more steps back. She doesn't like him being so close to her. She doesn't like it that she can smell him and she hates it that she likes the fragrance. If only he would take a step back for her to concentrate on his words. His lips move but the sound can't make its way up to her brain to be processed. Finally after the longest minute in her life he turns around and walks back to the sofa. She can breathe again without the fear of getting distracted. He smirks at her before he continues speaking. Hermione doesn't understand where that look is coming from but she doesn't have time to think about it.

"Look, it doesn't matter who you are, but frankly I just don't want to talk to a mast right now. It doesn't matter who you are. I just need to know" He tells her. She doesn't move closer to him. The distance is safe. It's comforting, especially now that she might have to take off the mask.

"You won't like it" she tells him.

"Why is that?"

"We hate each other"

"Are you sure?"

"Very" she smiles

"I'm sure I can get over it"

"I'm sure you can't Malfoy"

"The name you I can, a Malfoy can do anything"

"Yeah, you're a real hero" she says sarcastically.

"Yes I am. Unlike you I don't hide behind a mask"

"Yes you do Malfoy! I told you that already."

"And I commented on that already and we agreed to let that go for now. So, are you going to take of that mask or what?"

She hesitates for a long time and then walks past him to the other side of the small room. She is further away from him and the sofa then she was before. She felt a rush go through her when she was near him, both from smelling him again and the fear and doubt about what she'll do next. She stands with her back to him

"Promise me something Malfoy"

"What?"

"If I show you who I am, I want all the answers to the questions I have. And I want to know everything you came to talk to me about. No changing your mind."

"I promise"

She slowly raises her arms and unties the ribbons that secured the mask. She lets her arms fall down next to her body and after another deep breath, which she seemed to need a lot the past hour, she turns around even more slowly.


	14. The talk

**Chapter 14: The talk**

"Granger?"

"Don't freak out Malfoy" Draco has his hands in his hair and is turning one side and then the other on his heels. If his mouth would drop any further his chin would touch the ground. For the first time she was able to make Draco Malfoy speechless. He tries to say something a couple of times but he gives up and let's himself fall onto the couch behind him. He is utterly shocked. He tries his best not to look at her. He simply won't believe it. She gets the feeling that he is convincing himself that it is a trick. Every time he looks at her that theory is proven false.

Hermione takes a step towards him. "Look, I know you didn't expect me but.." SHe couldn't get any further because Draco jumped up from her sudden movement towards him and is currently standing behind the couch. "You!" he points at her "You are the last person I expected! I won't tell you my problems! You're Granger for crying out loud!"

"I know very well who I am Malfoy thank you very much. I know we've hated each other before but surely you must have realized I'm not exactly who you thought I was. If you've learned anything from our letters it's that."

"I learned something alright! Never write to a complete stranger!"

"Look Malfoy, you may not like it but it's me who wrote you those letters and you specifically asked me to come to you. At this ridiculous hour I might add. You better tell me why or this whole thing would be a complete waste of my time!"

"I'm not telling you anything! You wouldn't know what I should do anyway"

"Try me. I've been told I'm quite clever for my age."

"I bet you have"

"So are you going to talk to me or what?"

"No way!"

"Fine, I wish I would have just gone to sleep. At least that would have done some good."

"Don't worry Granger, sleep or no sleep, you'll still be ugly" Hermione had started to walk to the door but hearing that statement made her turn around. She grabs him by his shirt with one hand and the other holds her wand at his throat.

"Don't you dare say nasty things about me Malfoy. I do not care what you think, I do however care about all the things I have to do tomorrow and it would have gone a lot better if I'd have slept tonight so right now I am very mad at you for ruining that for me and making comments like that would just be too much right now! I swear I'm going to hex you when you say anything like that again!" she pushes him away and makes him stumble backwards before he regains his balance. In the mean time Hermione has walked away leaving a stunned Draco behind. He sits down once more on the couch to think. Several thoughts are running through his mind. He still can't believe who his mystery girl turned out to be. Also he isn't sure what to do about the thing he came here to talk to her about. It may have been Granger but e still didn't get any advice.

_I cannot believe it was Granger!_ _How stupid of me to think I could actually talk to the girl behind the mask about this. I can't talk to anyone about this. Well if anyone would know what to do it's Granger. My friends would laugh at me and probably be a tatter tale and tell the dark lord about my plans. Potter and Weasley would never trust me and they would probably tell everyone too. Then there is Dumbledore. He actually scares me the old bastard. No. Granger is the only one who could handle this secret. She would know what to do and she wouldn't hesitate to help me, it's just how she is. The goodie-two-shoes can't help being everybody's friend. She just always has doing the right thing. Stupid girl. I really hate this! I can't believe I'm actually considering this. _

Hermione sneaks into the Gryffindor common room and finds her two best friends sitting on the couch with their arms crossed over their chest. _Great, just what I need._

"Where have you been?" Harry asks her.

"Um, well, the kitchen"

"You weren't in the kitchen! You hesitated" Harry states.

"Well excuse me Harry for being a bit embarrassed about this!"

"What happened to stealing food from the kitchen at night is bad?" Ron asks her.

"I'm sorry Ron, it really is but I was just so hungry"

"Well you haven't eaten anything at all at dinner, no wonder you're hungry. Take better care of yourself when we're gone Mione. We don't want to be worrying about you too!" Harry tells her.

"What time is it?" Hermione asks.

"Almost one A.M. We knocked on the girls' dorm and one sleepy Ginny told us you weren't in your bed." Ron tells her.

"Why would you knock on the door to the girls' dorm in the middle of the night?"

"We wanted to give you this" Harry hands her a book. "Dumbledore gave it to us this morning to give it to you but we totally forgot about it. We didn't want to just leave it in the common room with a note for everyone to find. Hermione looks at the book in her hands.

"Thank you Harry" there is a knock on the door.

"That must be Dumbledore"

"I think you're right Ron, its one AM now. He is always on time." Harry hugs Hermione after saying this. Ron quickly and awkwardly hugs her too while Harry opens the portrait. Dumbledore knew the password of course but the trio figures he is just being polite.

"Good evening. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes sir we are" Harry tells him.

"Miss Granger. You are supposed to be asleep. You are not going to make another fuss about this are you? It's been decided. Harry and Ron leave. You stay here."

"I wasn't going to make another fuss. I was merely saying goodbye to my friends."

"All right then. But we must leave now."

"Bye Mione!" The boys say in unison.

"Bye Harry! Bye Ron! Be careful!"

They leave and Hermione goes to bed. After everything it is surprising how fast she falls asleep.

The next day Hermione eats breakfast with Neville. He asks where Harry and Ron are but she tells him that they are practicing some spells on each other. Neville does most of the talking, Hermione is very quiet. She hasn't dared to look over at the Slytherin table. Not even once. If she would have she would have seen that Draco wasn't there, again. He hasn't been eating in the great hall for over a week now. After breakfast Hermione heads for Herbology. She is walking down the corridors of Hogwarts when suddenly someone pulls her in a deserted corner behind a statue of some great wizard from the seventies.

"Granger." It's Draco.

"Malfoy? May I ask what you think you're doing?"

"You may. I need to talk to you."

"You've had your chance and you blew it. Now if you don't mind I haven't got the time to exchange arguments right now. I have Herbology."

"I really, really need to talk" he blocks her way. She looks up at him. He is very tall. She never really noticed it but it's hard to miss right now. She smells his cologne again. She answers him just so she can focus on something other than that cologne that she is beginning to like, a lot.

"Fine, tomorrow at ten I have a free period."

"I can't wait until tomorrow Granger"

"Look Malfoy I really need to go now, I'll be late for class"

"I need to talk now Granger so stop trying to get away from me because you know I can keep you here if I want"

"Fine, but tell me first why this can't wait until tomorrow"

"Because I could be a death eater by then"


	15. Curiosity killed the cat

**Chapter 15: Curiosity killed the cat**

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me Granger; I'm not going to repeat it. Now, follow me"

"I... I need.. I need to be somewhere"

"Now where could you possibly go? Potter and the Weasel aren't here."

Hermione is lost in her thoughts. _They haven't even been gone for a day and already someone figured it out. Someone who is about to be a deatheater even. What have I done wrong? What gave it away?_

Draco continues although he did notice the troubled look on her face. "The library is closed due to some renovations, Dumbledore has gone to the ministry, everyone knows you only have the two geeks as your friends and since they're gone, you have nowhere to go. Are you making an excuse to get away from me? It isn't polite you see?"

"For your information, I have plenty of friends. I'm meeting one of them right after morning classes!"

"No you're not. You're coming with me. I really need to talk to you and I don't want to get caught in a corner with you."

"Oh I see, you claim you need my help and then you tell me how your reputation will be ruined when you're seen with me! You need to work on your persuasion skills"

"I've had enough. We are going to the room of requirement right now, both of us. You will go and I'll follow. Don't even dare to talk to someone. I'll be watching you. Now do as I say or I will hex you" He threatened, emphasizing the word will.

"You don't scare me Malfoy. I do as I please whether you like it or not."

"You will do as I say Granger and you will do it now."

"I will go to the room of requirement. I will hear you out, but only because I want to. Not because you tell me to."

Draco smirks. Hermione looks troubled again. She is thinking that he might have taken her statement the wrong way. She decides it's better to worry about that later. She goes to the seventh floor. She doesn't see nor hear Draco but she can feel his eyes burning a hole in her back. It makes her quite uncomfortable. The idea that this could be a trap does too. He could kill her and she is following him without a second thought. She has reached the wall where the door to the room of requirement should appear. She waits for Draco, for he will know what the room should look like. Damned curiosity. I shouldn't have come here with him. Hermione hears soft footstep behind her and soon feels someone breathing on her neck. He is standing close enough for her to feel the warmth coming from his body on her back. She smells him again too but before she can get lost in her thoughts by it he speaks.

"Curiosity killed the cat Granger. You're right. You should have been more careful." She turns around with her wand ready. He takes a step back.

"Don't worry it isn't a trap." A door appears behind Hermione on the wall she had been facing only seconds ago.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"You were thinking that? Well, intuition I guess. And a pretty good one don't you agree?"

"Liar"

Draco smirks again and walks past her into the room. He doesn't even check to see if she follows him. He trusts her curiosity will lead her in the room and he was right. Hermione hesitates again. She is starting to rethink the 'not being afraid of him' thing. She is scared to follow him. She has no idea what to expect from him. The curious feeling is stronger than her fear. Hermione steps into quite a big room. It has a lot of character. It has a bit of a Victorian feel to it. The walls are white. A bit cream colored actually. There is a fireplace with a sofa and an armchair in front of it. There is also a small table. There are these massive pots in every corner of the room with plants in it that grow to the ceiling. The walls and ceiling are like those of old Victorian houses. It's all very classy and simply beautiful. Hermione is looking around and can't help the word wow coming from her lips in a whisper. Draco looks at her and gives her the Malfoy smirk he is known for.

"Could you focus for a minute Granger? I know I'm great at decorating rooms but that's not why we're here" Hermione turns her glaze towards him and raises an eyebrow.

"Fine, it's about time you tell me what's going on"

"You have to do something for me"

"Wow Malfoy that almost sounded like you were _asking_ for my help"

"I was wasn't I?"

"No, you ordered me"

"What's your point Granger?"

"You are unbelievable" she walks over to the sofa and sits down. She pulls her legs up on the sofa as well and gets comfortable.

He doesn't like her attitude. She looks far too comfortable and relaxed for his taste. "You're really not afraid of me are you?" He asks her raising an eyebrow.

"Why would I be?"

"I just told you I'm about to be a deatheater"

"And you also came to me for help before you let that happen. You're a real threat" she tells him sarcastically. "Now tell me what is going on or I'm leaving. I don't like missing classes and especially not when a jerk like you wastes my time"

"You can leave if you want to. I just thought you might want to know what the dark lord is up to but if you're not interested it's your loss"

"I thought you wouldn't let me leave knowing he wants you to be a death eater"

"I'm not"

"You're not making a whole lot of sense right now Malfoy" He looks troubled. Clearly he isn't convinced that telling her what is on his mind is the best idea after all.

"I will tell you everything I know if you are willing to make an unbreakable vow that you will never repeat what I tell you in this room and in the future when the war is concerned. And you have to help me."

"How can I swear to help you when I don't know what you want? For all I know you could be requiting me for the dark side"

"I wouldn't do that"

"How can I trust you on that? Didn't you just tell me to be afraid of you?"

"Will you stop using what I say against me?!"

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in a..." She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Just shut it Granger this is serious!"

"I'm sorry. But you haven't told me anything yet."

"Will you make the unbreakable vow?"

"If it will get you to start talking I will. But I will not promise to help you."

"Fine. Now let's get this thing over with" They hold each other's wrist and quickly make the unbreakable vow to never repeat what they say to each other about the war.

Draco starts pacing up and down the room and then he starts to talk. He keeps on walking and he doesn't look at her until he is finished. She is silent. He looks at her now. Her face shows exactly what's she's thinking. He doesn't even have to use legilimensy to read her mind. It is obvious she is horrified, scared and confused.

"Say something" Her orders her. "I... I don't know what to say. You have to kill Dumbledore? There is a vanishing cabinet in Hogwarts? I don't understand?"

"What don't you understand? I have to let the deatheaters in, try to kill Dumbledore and if I can't I have backup." She suddenly looks scared. She is afraid. She is afraid of him. She does not know what to think of him. He has so many different faces. In school he is the bully, in the letters he is actually a nice guy, and he is also about to be a death eater and kill her beloved headmaster. It is all very confusing. Hermione stands up. She suddenly doesn't feel safe anymore on the sofa. She wants to be able to defend herself or run away whenever that is necessary. She crosses her arms over her chest. Draco realizes that is a way of keeping her distance. For some reason Draco feels hurt by this action of distrust.

"What are you going to do Malfoy?"

"I don't know. If I don't kill Dumbledore he will kill me. I don't want to die. I don't want to be a deatheater and a killer either but I really don't want to die. If I don't do something now I will be death before dawn."

"Tell me something"

"What?"

"Can you do occlumency and legilimensy? Can you actually read my mind?"

"Yes, a little"

"A little? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that it's very hard. But I can read minds whenever that person is feeling strong emotions like fear, anger, disgust and maybe even love"

"I have to think about this Malfoy"

"You have to think about helping me? Don't you want to safe Dumbledore?"

"Of course I want to safe Dumbledore you dimwit. I just don't know how."

"Just say you will try."

"If you promise me you will never use legilimensy on me again I will promise to help you."

"I'll try"

"Not good enough Malfoy"

"Fine, I promise." Draco isn't sure if he can keep that promise. He can't always control it but she doesn't have to know that. What you don't know can't hurt you right?

"Good, now show me that vanishing cabinet."

They walk out and back into the room and Hermione is going over only one question in her mind. How much of my feelings could he pick up yesterday when he was standing so close to me?


	16. The vanishing cabinet

**Chapter 16: The vanishing cabinet**

"Wow, I've never seen one of these before. Of course I've read about it but to actually look at one is a completely different thing" Hermione walks around the vanishing cabinet lightly touching the sides with her fingertips. Draco is amazed how she can totally lose herself in something she finds beautiful and forget everything around her. It is the second time that day he has seen her do that. First in the room he decorated before and now for the vanishing cabinet.

"So if I understand correctly this one is broken and you have to fix it?"

"Yes pretty much"

"When you step into this particular vanishing cabinet, where will that bring you?"

"At Borgin and Burkes."

"When do you have to finish?"

"As soon as possible"

"We have to tell Dumbledore Malfoy"

"We can't. The dark lord has eyes everywhere. When I speak with Dumbledore or even you he will know and he will want to know what we discussed."

"But he has to know. We have to come up with a plan for when he will be attacked"

"No we can't tell anyone. And you can't tell him anyway. You made the vow."

"When did Voldemort gave you your mission? You have been in Hogwarts since the beginning of this school year"

"During Christmas break"

"I thought you were staying at school for Christmas"

"So did I. My father suddenly showed up and took me home and then to him"

"That sucks"

"Tell me about it, I didn't even get my party with Blaise"

"You can't seriously be thinking about a party in times like this"

"You went to a party too this year remember. Right after you swore revenge. Going to that party wasn't your revenge was it?"

She jumps at his question. She doesn't want him to know what her plan was. As far as she knows it hadn't worked yet. She would never want him to know she actually tried to get revenge and failed. "Of course not" She says that almost a bit too quickly. He turns his head to one side and looks at her with one eyebrow raised.

"Liar"

_Stupid mind reader. I won't be able to keep a secret from him at all. _Hermione thinks to herself.

"Didn't you say Voldemort would know if you talked to me? You are meeting me right now what will you tell Voldemort once he finds out?"

"Changing the subject are we Granger? And don't you think I'll make sure he won't know? He knows about my business in the room of requirement. If you come here half an hour earlier or later than me nobody will notice. Not even Snape."

"I am simply changing the subject because there are more important issues to discuss. What do you mean not even Snape? Isn't he supposed to be on our side?"

"Whatever you need to tell yourself Granger. And yes, he is. But my aunt made him make an unbreakable vow too. He has promised to help me with my mission and if I won't succeed he will finish it for me"

"You mean that Dumbledore doesn't even have a chance?"

"I guess. I don't know"

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know? Someone is about to be killed and you don't know for sure?"

"Calm down Granger. Look I will tell you everything I know and we'll think of a way to prevent all of this from happening. I need to go now. Tonight I will leave Hogwarts and tomorrow I will be a deatheater."

"You really have to do this don't you?" She asks him looking at the ground.

"Yes. I don't see any other way do you?"

"No."

"But you don't want to be a deatheater correct?"

"Would I be here if I did?"

"I guess not."

Hermione walks over to an old chair not far from where they were standing. She sits down and rests her head in her palms. She thinks for a while. Draco watches her. Without looking up at him she speaks.

"Will it hurt?"

"Like hell" she doesn't look at him so he walks over to her and makes her face him by lifting her head by her chin. He would have sat down on his knees before her if that wouldn't have ruined his bloody expensive suit.

"You don't have to worry about me Granger" he smirks. She hates it when he does that. The arrogance just drips off his face when he does that.

"I'm not worrying about you Malfoy!"She slaps his hand away from her face and stands up. They are only a few inches apart.

"Sure" he tells her. It makes her angry that he is still smirking at her and she walks past him to the door, bumping into his shoulder on her way.

"Be here tomorrow night at eight." She doesn't answer him but they both know that she will show up.

The next morning Hermione doesn't see Draco at Breakfast. It's a Saturday. She usually spends her Saturday's studying. Today she will go see all the teacher of the classes she missed the day before. After she met with Draco in the morning the day before she didn't go to any of her classes. She wanted to but she had so much to think about she couldn't focus. She had told Draco that she didn't worry about him. Truth was she was worrying like an insane person. She had no idea how the ritual would go. How they would give him the mark. Would he have to go through some tests first or would he just get the mark right away. She had no idea and it made her crazy. She knew that it would probably be worse to know the truth but knowing nothing at all was just making her consider all these horrible things. Every idea is worse than the one before. She went to the lake and sat underneath a tree. The water was beautiful. It was cold outside but it didn't bother her. She couldn't get Draco out of her head. She didn't understand him anymore. Everything used to be so simple. He was just an arrogant bully who was afraid to do anything without his father's help. Suddenly he isn't the helpless little boy anymore. He is brave enough to plan against the dark lord. The wizard his whole family looks up to. He is even brave enough to set aside his feelings for her and ask her for help. Asking for help for one thing would have been very difficult for him but to ask it from her… Later she went back to the castle to write to Harry and Ron. When she reached for some parchment she saw the unopened letters Draco had sent her. She considered opening them but decided against it.

Now it's a new day. It's Saturday. Her friends are gone. She doesn't even know where they are. The order decided it was safest to not tell her anything. The fewer people knew the better. She felt it was a bunch of crap. She is supposed to do research about Horcruxes and Voldemort's background. Anything that could have any value to him could be a Horcrux. When she knows anything she will have to go to Dumbledore and he will pass on the message. Today she will bring her letters to her friends to Dumbledore. The original plan was that she would have no contact whatsoever with Harry and Ron but she just couldn't live with that. After a long argument Dumbledore agreed to deliver her messages to her friends personally. They didn't want anyone else to read the letters. Besides her friends she now has Draco to worry for and about too. She doesn't want to but she just can't help it. Nobody deserves what he has to go through, no matter what that person might have done in the past. The side of him that has sent her those letters the past couple of months wasn't even such a bad guy. Maybe not at all even.

After Hermione has visited the teachers and Dumbledore she heads to the library to do some research. Dumbledore even gave her a pass to the restricted section. He hesitated but he knew that would be the only place she would find anything useful. Instead of just research on Voldemort and Horcruxes she also looks for information about vanishing cabinets. She isn't sure if she'll tell Draco anything she'll find, he is trying to fix it to let in the death eaters after all. No, she just wants to know everything there is to know about it for herself. Before she knows it it's time for dinner after which she does some homework. It is almost eight pm and she goes to the room of requirement. She is desperate to see how Draco is doing, even though she would never admit it, not even to herself. When she gets there she looks around and when she sees nobody she quickly slides into the room. It really is a big mess so she doesn't see Draco right away. Figuring he will probably be by the vanishing cabinet she makes a left turn and then a right turn like she did the day before. Now she sees him. He is lying on the ground looking paler than ever. She rushes over to him and kneels down beside him. He doesn't react to her presence.

**Author's note: Thank you everyone for reading my story. I'm very grateful for all the lovely reviews. I usually update every three days but I'm going away this week for school. Therefore the next chapter will be a bit late. Sorry for that. I'll update as soon as possible. PS. Please don't hate me for the cliff-hangers. I just really enjoy finishing the chapters that way. **


	17. The dark mark

**Author's note: Thank you all for waiting patiently this week. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. From now on I will be updating every three days like I did before. Have fun!**

**Chapter 17: The dark mark**

"Malfoy?" She shakes him to try and wake him up. "Malfoy! It's not funny! Wake up" no movement. "Damn it Malfoy if you don't wake up right now I'm going to kill you!" she knows that statement doesn't make any sense but she isn't thinking clearly anymore. She shakes him some more and finally she sees his body stir. After a few more seconds he opens his eyes. Hermione sighs from relief.

"Get your hand off of me Granger" He snaps. Although not with the fierceness his voice usually has but what can you expect from someone who has just been unconscious. She holds both hands up in the air, slightly offended. She reminds herself that this must have been a tough day and night for him.

"I thought you were dead"

"Why would you think that?" He gets up slowly and starts slapping the dust off of his suit.

"Never mind. Did they do it?"

"Leave me alone Granger, I don't want to deal with you right now"

"You told me to come remember"

"Yes and now I'm telling you to leave"

"I'm not a toy you can have around when you want it to and throw away when you don't"

"Oh bugger off"

"Look Malfoy I understand that what you went through today was hard and that..."

"You don't know anything about what I went through"

"I understand that it must have drained all your physical strength."

"Oh fuck off"

"And emotional"

His eyes are shooting daggers at her.

"Just leave me alone" He tells her and walks over to the vanishing cabinet. Next he pulls off the sheet that covers it every time he isn't there. Hermione follows him but stays at a safe distance.

"Can I see it?" She asks him, almost in a whisper, but he heard her. He heard her loud and clear. He looks over his shoulder. Although he still can't see her face he refuses to turn around completely. Hermione looks at the ground, already regretting asking him that question.

"No" He says firmly.

"I'm sorry. I was just curious that's all"

"That's a bad habit of yours Granger"

"I know. I'm sorry." She is still looking at the ground and he still isn't looking at her.

A little smile appears on his lips. His temper is almost gone by now. He doesn't want to admit it but her being there comforts him. He dreaded having to go back to Hogwarts after today. Nobody would understand. Although she annoys him it's comforting to know that she cared enough to show up. That she cared enough to get scared by the idea that he might be dead.

"Don't be. It's okay. I understand." His voice is a lot softer now. Her curiosity takes control off her. Slowly she walks towards him. He doesn't turn around; he waits to find out what she's doing. When she is standing behind him she waits for his reaction. When there is no reaction she puts her hand at his wrist and softly and slowly pulls his sleeve up. He looks at his arm. He doesn't want her to see it. He doesn't want her to know what kind of a person he has become. He doesn't want her to let go of his arm either though. He seems unable to move and so he lets her do what she wants to. Hermione looks at his face instead of his arm. She can see the pain on his face when she feels the mark underneath her fingers. Draco turns his head the other way so she can't see his pain. He doesn't pull away his arm. She gasps when she sees his arm. It's all red and swollen. There is even some dried blood on it. It must hurt like hell. Draco had expected her reaction but he was still hurt by it. _She must be disgusted by me now. Why does that even bother me? It must be the pain that's got me acting all weird._ What he didn't realize was that her reaction wasn't cost by disgust, but worry. She realizes that it must hurt like hell and she feels sorry for him.

"Frigulus" she whispers, wand pointed at his arm. Draco looks at his arm. Most of the burning goes away, most of the redness too. He doesn't recognize the spell she used but it cools down his arm. It makes it a lot more tolerable.

"Thank you" he whispers.

"Don't move. I'll be right back. Don't touch your arm and keep your sleeve up." He is confused but he can't ask her where she's going. Neither can he ask her she's going to do because she's gone. It is now that he realizes that he trusts her. He isn't afraid that she'll go off and get someone or tell someone about him. It scares him a little too. He might be voting for the good side in the war but they were still always enemies in a way. They never liked each other let alone trust each other.

He does what she told him and stays exactly where he was, wondering what she's doing. Moments later she is back and orders him to sit down in the old chair in the corner. She kneels down in front of him and pulls his arm to her by his wrist. She has a white plastic bag with her. She pulls a bottle of water and a small towel out of it and starts cleaning his arm. He doesn't like her nurturing him. He doesn't like feeling weak and helpless. He can do this himself. He wants to do this himself. On the other hand it feels good that she does this for him. That she wants to do this for him. She helps him without a doubt in her mind. He admires that but he doesn't understand where it's coming from.

Next she takes out a mall pot with some sort of cream.

"I'm sorry if this hurts but it will help, trust me" she tells him. He doesn't reply and she starts to softly massage the cream on his arm. It hurts when she touches the wound the mark left on his arm but the cream feels like heaven. It takes all the pain out and even reduces the swelling. When she's done she puts some bandages around it and pulls down his sleeve to cover everything up.

"All set. How does it feel?"

"Great. Thank you. What was that and where did you get that."

"Just some cream that helps with sincere burn wounds. I got it from the supply cabinet in the hospital wing"

"What did you tell madam Pomfrey?"

"Nothing, don't worry. She doesn't know. I didn't know what to tell her, she would have asked me what I needed it for and I can't use Ron's bad spells as an excuse now that he's not here."

"You stole it?" He looks surprised. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Don't look at me like that Malfoy. It's not even the first thing I've stolen. I've taken several things from Snape for some potions too. Don't tell him though, that would ruin everything."

"You truly amaze me"

"You don't actually know me Malfoy" she sneers.

"Sorry. Don't need to get your knickers in a twist. It was kind of a compliment too."

"You were trying to give me a compliment? The great and mighty Draco Malfoy is giving me, the know-it-all Gryffindor, a compliment? Now I'm sure the world is coming to an end. You really do need to work on your compliments though."

"Fine, I'll never bother again."

"Don't get mad Malfoy. I was just kidding" She tries not to laugh desperately but it's really hard after seeing that offended look on his face.

"You should be nice to me. I've had a really tough day."

"I'm sorry" She tells him, immediately serious again. "Will you tell me what happened today?"

He looks down at her. She is still on her knees in front of him. Of course there was no other chair around but still, she didn't move away from him. Even after seeing the mark on his arm she still isn't afraid of him.

"No" he tells her.

"Why not?"

"Just because"

"Fine, if you don't want to talk then don't"

"Fine"

"Fine" clearly she isn't happy with his answer but at least she suspects it. She's probably going to ask him about it some other time. He's sure of it. Her thoughts tell him he's right and he smirks at her. He knows he promised not to read her mind but sometimes he just hears her thoughts without even trying. What she won't know can't hurt her anyway right?


	18. Sneaking around

**Chapter 18: Sneaking around**

"Move" Draco tells a group of first year Ravenclaws sitting at a table in the corner of the library. They hurry to get their stuff and get away. One of them actually trips. The younger student looks frightened at Draco and his friend Blaise and one of his friends pulls him with them. Blaise throws his bag on the table and sits down.

"Not there. I will be sitting there." Draco tells him and also throws his back on the table.

"Pardon me?"

"I said move over I want to sit there."

"You're not the boss of me Draco. Why do you want to sit here anyway?" He looks around the room but sees nothing that he thinks could interest Draco.

"Better light." Draco almost pushes Blaise off of the chair. He sits down at the chair next to it and Draco sits down at the chair he desperately wanted.

"You know my friend," Blaise tells him "If the view weren't so bad I would have stayed right where I was"

"Whatever" Blaise raises an eyebrow and decides to forget it. They have a charms essay due the next day and as usual he waited for the last minute to write it. When Draco is sure his friend isn't watching him he looks up. Two tables down Hermione is sitting with about eight books in front of her. She has about five of them lying opened in front of them and she seems to be reading all of them at once. Draco has to disagree with Blaise; the view isn't all that bad.

*

"Have you found it yet Harry?"

"No, I don't think it's here Ron"

Harry and Ron are at the Malfoy manor going through all the jewelry boxes they can find. Rumors are that a certain Malfoy family heirloom could be one of the horcruxes. Lupin overheard some people saying how it was a disgrace that Lucius Malfoy received the honor of having one of his most precious objects turned into a horcrux. They said that he wasn't even the most loyal follower of the dark lord and then went on about how they were better suited for the honor and more able to protect it. None of that was important to the order except for the last thing Lupin overheard them saying. They said something about Draco being on a mission inside Hogwarts and that he was taking too much time to complete it. Lupin couldn't stay and listen to the rest of the conversation. He couldn't risk getting caught and the Polyjuice potion he took to get into the bar in the first place almost wore out. So there they are. Looking for some object that could be any value to either the Malfoy family of the dark lord. They have been there for over half an hour now and they haven't found anything. They hear someone coming. Either a house-elf or a person but it doesn't really matter. They look at each other, nod, and apparate their way back to their hiding place.

*

In the room of requirement

"How is the vanishing cabinet working?"

"I think I'm almost finished"

"Are you sure? What did you do to it?"

Draco points at some wheels in the back of the cabinet and tells her how he fixed those.

"I was just about to do a little test. Watch." He pulls an apple out of his pocket and puts it in the cabinet. He closes the door and turns around.

"Now what?" She asks him.

"Just wait." He opens the cabinet and the apple is gone.

"It's gone! It works. We need to work on a plan fast!"

"Wait, we're not done. We need to know if it gets back." He closes the door again.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you should try to be patient and wait."

"I can be patient if I want to. I'd like to know what's going on though"

"sure you can" he gives her a sly smile and she gives him one of her angry looks that always gets Harry and Ron to hide from her. Draco however, does not seem to be impressed. Amused would be a better word for what he's feeling. He smirks and turns around. When he opens the vanishing cabinet the apple is there again but someone took a bite out of it.

"What does that mean?" She says pointing at the apple.

"It means it works. Well, so far."

"I really think you should tell Dumbledore about your," She has to think about what to call it. "Mission"

"And I still think we shouldn't"

"Fine"

"Fine"

"Why am I here anyway Draco?"

"I saw you in the library this morning"

"I know I saw you too. So?"

"You had my book"

"I have no idea what you're talking about"

"I think you do. Since you've read every book about vanishing cabinets perhaps you can help me safe some time and tell me how to fix this one"

"I promised to help you save Dumbledore, telling you how to fix this doesn't exactly help me with that does it?"

"You're right. I'll read the books myself."

"That won't be possible"

"Why not?" Draco tilts his head to the right and raises an eyebrow.

"I've rented out all of those books for the rest of this year." She smiles innocently at him.

"You what?!" He shouts.

"Well I'd love to stay around and chat but I have some reading to do. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Get back here Granger!" She looks over her shoulder at the door and smiles at him, and then she's gone.

When she turns around a small second year Huffelpuff named Linda smiles at her.

"Hello Hermione!"

"Oh, hello Linda" Hermione casually leans back at the door and holds the knob firmly so Draco won't be able to open it without a struggle.

"Dumbledore is looking for you. Told me to tell you the password too but I'm not allowed to let anyone else know."

"Okay thank you Linda. What's the password?" Linda motions that Hermione should get closer and she whispers the password in her ear. Meanwhile Draco decides he has waited long enough and tries to open the door but it doesn't open. Right when he wants to blow the door out with the bombarda curse he hears noises on the other side of the door.

_Must be Granger talking to someone out there. I'd better wait a little longer. I do want to know who that is though. She'll have to explain to me tomorrow. I do want to know now. What is keeping me from listening into her thoughts? Your promise is. Another part of his mind tells him. I don't care much for that now. I could be in danger right? What the hell._

Draco listens to the thoughts on the other side of the door.

*Draco Malfoy if you are listening to my thoughts right now; be ashamed of yourself! There is another student here so you'd better wait a little longer. And again, shame on you! You promised me!*

Draco smiles.

When Linda is done whispering she takes a step back and giggles. "Isn't it funny?"

"It sure is Linda. Thanks again. I guess I'll be off looking for professor Dumbledore then" Linda smiles, nods and then happily hops away. Hermione shakes her head and walks towards Dumbledore's office.

"Hello Hermione. Come on in"

"Hello professor. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes sit down. There are a couple of things I need to discuss with you" Hermione sits down in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk and he takes his seat behind it. "First of all, here are some letters from your friends. Secondly, there is some news. We have reason to believe that Draco Malfoy might be on some kind of mission from the dark lord. Now, we wanted you to know so you'll be careful"

"Be careful doing what professor?" Hermione asks him.

"Would you let me finish? There is some other news too. We think that maybe one of the Malfoy family heirlooms could be a horcrux. This particular object would be of great value to the Malfoy family. We were hoping you could try to find out what that object might be. We think it's a piece of jewelry but anything more specific would help a lot."

"But professor why would you think I could get that information from Malfoy?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought you two were starting to get along" He looks over his glasses at her. "Ever since the Slytherin party at the beginning of this semester that is."


	19. Questions

**Author's note: I'm really sorry I had to break my word. I promised I would keep updating and I didn't. The reason for this is that I couldn't. I met my soul mate a year and a half ago. Last week he died. He was a cat but to me he was so much more than that. He was my child and I miss him so much. He gave me inspiration for my stories and without him I felt like I couldn't write anymore. I want to dedicate this story to Spike. A crazy cat who always got himself into trouble. He did one too many stupid things. **

**I've updated two chapters to make it up to you all. I won't promise I'll keep posting chapters every three days. I'm very busy with school and crying for Spike. I hope you enjoy these chapters and accept my apology. **

**Chapter 19: Questions**

Previously:

We have reason to believe that Draco Malfoy might be on some kind of mission from the dark lord. Now, we wanted you to know so you'll be careful"

"Be careful doing what professor?" Hermione asks him.

"Would you let me finish? There is some other news too. We think that maybe one of the Malfoy family heirlooms could be a horcrux. This particular object would be of great value to the Malfoy family. We were hoping you could try to find out what that object might be. We think it's a piece of jewelry but anything more specific would help a lot."

"But, professor, why would you think I'll get that information from Malfoy?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought you two were starting to get along" He looks over his glasses at her. "Ever since the Slytherin party at the beginning of this semester that is."

Now:

Hermione blushes and looks at her feet. "I'll see what I can do professor"

"Good. Now, I need to ask you one more favor." Hermione looks up.

"What is that?"

"Ron and Harry snuck out last night to pay a visit to the Malfoy manor, after we repeatedly told them not to. It was very dangerous and irresponsible. They decided it was better than being bored and left anyway. Although they got out alive and without being seen, I would like to ask you to let them know what fools they've been. I've been told you can be quite scary and convincing when you're angry. Maybe you can give them a good scare so they'll listen to us in the future. Quite frankly they have been really annoying. Everyone had to hear about their failed attempt to finding the horcrux, especially the part where nobody noticed they were there which they seem to think proves they were right. I speak for the entire order when I say I'm getting tired of it."

Hermione smiles. "I will scare the life out of them if I have to professor"

"Thank you Miss. Granger. Have a good day now."

"Thank you. Have a good day too."

"They know Draco" Hermione tells him that night when they're in the room of requirement.

"You told them? I can't believe you'd betray my trust like that Granger!"

Hermione gives him one of her angry looks and crosses her arms over her chest. "Do I seem dead to you?"

"No. Why?" He looks confused. She hits him on the arm.

"Then stop the foolish insults and start thinking about more important issues. And I can't believe you thought I betrayed you after all I've done for you. You really are an arrogant and selfish prat! I made the unbreakable vow so believing that I actually told anyone while I'm standing right in front of you, very much alive I might add, is pretty stupid don't you agree?"

"Touché"

"Now, we need to think of a plan"

"What do you suggest?"

"I don't know, tell someone maybe" She said sarcastically. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"No"

"Why not? I don't understand."

"What don't you understand? If I tell anyone he will know and then I'm dead. I might not believe in everything he stands for but I would still like to stay alive if you don't mind."

"Coward" She spat, turns around at her heel and tries to walk away. The latter didn't work since he grabbed her upper arm and kept her from leaving.

"I Am A Malfoy. I am not a coward." He said coldly, emphasizing every word as to make sure she would understand.

"Just because you happen to have that name doesn't mean you are better than anyone else. If anything my beating you in every class except potions must have proven that to you."

"This is all very confusing for me Granger" He let go of her arm abruptly.

"What is confusing?"

"Never mind. Just go and prepare yourself for Hogsmeade tomorrow. I bet you are dying to go."

"As a matter of fact I am"

"Fine then." She gives him an angry look and stalks off. He watches her go. When she is gone he kicks away the old chair they've been using every time they've been in there.

The next day in the three broomsticks

"Right here." Harry tells his friends. "You sit here Ron." He pulls his friend beside him and Hermione sits down opposite them. Harry and Ron came back that morning to Hermione's surprise. Apparently they tried to go off again on their own. They figured it might be safer to have them in Hogwarts after all, if only because they wouldn't be able to leave unnoticeably.

Luna will come later but she wanted to go somewhere to get something for some creatures none of the trio had heard of before. Tired of walking and pretty cold they agreed to go in and wait for her there.

The three of them order a butterbeer and start talking about what Harry and Ron have been up to the days they were gone. Harry however, is a little distracted. Hermione follows Harry's gaze and sees Ginny and her boyfriend sitting in a far corner of the bar.

"They're just holding hands Harry" She tells him and smiles knowingly at him.

"You call that holding hands?" She looked again. The holding hands turned into snogging. Ron now looked too.

"Oh man! I can't stay here now!"

"Please Ronald. You knew he was dating your sister and it looks like they're having a pretty good time together" Hermione tells him.

"Yeah but it is my little sister. You just have to hate the guy!" He says angrily and puts down the butterbeer. Harry turns to look at his friend by that statement and makes a mental note of it. He looks sad. Hermione looks at Harry and gives him a slight comforting smile. She knows Harry is really fond of Luna but the feelings he used to have for Ginny aren't entirely gone yet. It still hurts him to see her with someone else.

Luckily they get a chance to change the subject. Right then Draco walks by behind Hermione's back. Harry looks up. Draco looks back. He hadn't heard they were back yet; which is probably because not many people noticed their absence. Hermione turns around to see what caused Harry's sudden chance of posture. Their eyes meet for a mere second. Then he turns around and walks on in the direction he was heading in the first place. Hermione wishes Draco could join them. That realization hit her. Why does she want him to spent time with her and her friends? Does she just feel sorry for him, seeing him alone? That doesn't feel right. What if she is actually starting to enjoy his company? Before she answers her own question Harry speaks.

"He is up to something. I know he is. Have you heard he is on some kind of mission?"

"I'm sure you're overreacting Harry. He could have just wanted a butterbeer. Besides, he always looks like that at you." Hermione tells him.

"True, but I'm sure there is more to it. We need to find out what the Horcrux could be that the Malfoy family guarded. Any luck on that yet?"

"No but I'll go to the library tonight at eight." She tells him. She always meets Draco at that time. "Are you sure though? Don't you think it's rather odd that Voldemort let the Malfoy's guard another horcrux after what happened to the diary? And having Draco on a mission? I highly doubt that he'll leave an important task to a 17 year old that he can't have contact with being under the roof of Dumbledore. Even if any of these theories are true don't you think Voldemort is letting too much rely on the Malfoy family?"

"I guess Hermione" Harry states. "But then again, why does he do anything? It's worth looking into none the less right?"

"I guess you're right. That's why I'll do some research tonight." She smiles.

"Guys," Ron interrupts. "I'm really not comfortable looking at my sister over there"

"Then sit here Ronald" Hermione tells him pointing at the empty seat next to her. He moves and moments later Luna comes in and starts rattling about what she just bought.


	20. Expect the unexpected

**Chapter 20: Expect the unexpected**

When Harry, Hermione, Ron and Luna are walking back to Hogwarts a student named Katy Bell suddenly shoots from the ground and she just hangs there in the air. The student that was with her starts screaming. "I told her not to touch it!"Some teachers come running in and everything after that happens fast. The four of them go to McGonagall and Harry accuses Draco. They are sent back to their Dorms due to a lack of evidence. With everything that's going on it is seven forty-five before she knows it, and she is very eager to talk to Draco about recent events.

"Was it you?" She asks when she is only halfway through the door.

"Do you trust me?" He asks calm as ever.

"Answer the bloody question! Did you or did you not curse Katy to Bring that necklace to Dumbledore to have him killed?"

"I did."

"WHAT?!" She explodes. "How could you? Why didn't I know about this?"

"Because you would have stopped me"

"Damn right I would have! What the hell were you thinking?"

"Calm down"

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

"I won't tell unless you're calm"

"You will tell me right now Malfoy or I swear I'll hex you!"

"No" He tells her and raises his nose up high and stalks off.

"Ugh!" She groans and stomps after him. "Talk to me!"

"Are you calm?" She realizes it's pointless to keep screaming and takes a deep breath.

"Yes" She tells him as calm as she can manage. He runs around to look at her.

"Good" he looks around for the chair he kicked away the night before and puts it back. Before he can sit down Hermione pushes him aside and sits down herself, arms crossed over her chest.

"Start talking Malfoy" stubborn as he is he won't sit down at the ground and just stands there in front of her looking down.

"I had to do it. I have to prove my loyalty you know. They already think I'm taking too much time with this damned cabinet over here." He says pointing at it. "I knew this wouldn't work. I don't like him but even I have to admit that Dumbledore is way too smart to fall for that."

"I understand this is hard Draco" He reacts to hearing his first name but he lets her finish. "But I don't understand you didn't tell me"

"It's complicated" She stands up. Again only inches remain between them. She can feel his warm breath on her face. "It doesn't have to be"

"Yes it does"

"Then explain"

"I can't"

"Why not? Don't you trust me?"

"I actually believe that I do"

"Then why won't you tell me why you didn't tell me of your plan?"

"Just because"

"Is it any consolation to you that I can't tell anyone without dying?" she smiles at him.

"That's the problem Granger"

"What do you mean?" She asks with a puzzled look on her face. Draco steps back and holds his hands up as to either protect himself or surrender. Hermione figures he chooses protection since he still won't talk.

"Just forget it. I need to work on the vanishing cabinet now"

She sighs. "Fine, but I'm staying here. We're not done talking"

He sighs too. "Fine" Hermione sits back down in the chair and Draco starts to work absently on the cabinet.

_I can't tell her why I didn't tell her about my plan can I? Why not? Why did I? To protect myself of course. But she couldn't talk. Was I protecting her? Making sure she wouldn't have to worry all day and risk telling anyone and dying because of that? Why am I being protective of her? Why won't she leave? I can't work with her eyes on me. _

Draco doesn't look at her and keeps on working. About an hour later he decides to call it a day. When he turns around he finds Hermione sleeping in the chair. _She looks peaceful. Don't even go there Draco. Do not go there._ He puts his hand on her shoulder and whispers to her.

"Wake up Hermione, Hermione wake up" she shudders and slowly opens her eyes.

"Morning" He smiles at her.

"Good morning. Are you done already?"

"Already? I've been working for an hour. We really need to get back to our dorms."

"But we still need to talk"

"About what?"

"I don't know. Forget about it. It doesn't matter." She tells him and gets up.

"No way. You wanted to talk. What is it?" Hermione sits back down and takes of her necklace. She gives it to him.

"What's this?"

"It was my Grandmothers. It was a family heirloom. She gave it to my mother and my mother gave it to me over Christmas. My grandmother died two years ago. I really miss her, especially now." She had been looking at the ground the entire time she spoke but now she looks up at him. "I'm scared Draco"

He doesn't know what to do or say. He has never seen her like this. She never shows her vulnerability like this, especially not to him. "What are you afraid of?"

"Everything. The war. I'm scared we won't win. I'm scared more people I love will die. My grandmother always knew how to comfort me whenever I was scared. I just don't know what to do." A tear escapes her eye. Draco tries to wipe away the dust on the ground before her with his hand and sits down in front of her on his knees. He puts the necklace back in her hands that she held folded at her lap. He doesn't let go of her hands when he looks her in the eye.

"The granger I know isn't scared of anything, especially not anything. We will win the war. The good guys always win. Just watch some television" It makes her smile a little and he smiles back at her. "People die in a war. You can't keep that from happening. It's terrible to lose the ones you love but you can't prevent losing them sooner or later. That's why you should make every moment with them special. I'm sorry about your grandmother. She sounds like a lovely person. Just remember what she used to tell you. And you'll figure out what you should do. I'm sure of it." He smiles at her. She looks at him confused. Tears that were filling her eyes now come bursting out. She hugs him and cries. He is shocked by this but decides to hug her back. Or at least not push her away. He lets her cry all over his far too expensive shirt.

When she is done crying she looks up. Somehow she slipped from the chair and was now sitting on his lap on the ground. It feels weird to be in Draco's arms, being comforted by him. But it does feel right. He looks at her and smiles. "I'm sorry about your shirt" She tells him and looks down at the mess she made. "And the jacket"

"Don't worry about it." Although she wasn't hugging him anymore she didn't move away from him.

"I didn't mean to get emotional I really didn't. I'm sorry. I'm not usually like this."

"It's okay. Just forget it."

She gives him a weak smile. He puts the necklace back around her neck. She touches it. "Do you have anything like this in your family?" she asks him.

"There is my father's ring. But that isn't very special. There is a bracelet in my mother's family though. It's white gold with diamonds and rubies all around it. It is passed on from mother to daughter. I don't have a sister so it will go to my daughter eventually, if I ever have one. It will go to the first female child born in our family. Hermione nods. It sounds beautiful she tells him.

"It is. But now we really should be getting back to our dorms."

"Yes you're right." She gets up and holds out a hand for him to help him up. He ignores it. They walk to the door. As always Hermione will leave first.

"Hermione?"

"Yes"

"Will you be okay?"

"Yes I'm fine thank you" She smiles at him. He is actually concerned about her. He nods and Hermione leaves. She now has the information she needs. She didn't mean to get all emotional. She only wanted to bring up the subject of family heirlooms but when she thought about her grandmother everything just came out before she could stop it. She was ashamed she let herself go like that. In front of Malfoy even. She doesn't show anyone her weakness if she can prevent it. At least she can be sure that he won't tell anyone and she can tell Harry and Ron what they want to hear.


	21. The bird stopped singing

**Chapter 21: The bird stopped singing**

Hermione tells Harry and Ron about the Malfoy family heirlooms. They tell her that they went looking for her in the library but that she wasn't there. Of course they want to know where she was instead. She tells them that the library was too crowded and that she took some books up to the room of requirement for some peace and quiet. The two boys raise their eyebrows and look at each other.

"But Mione," Ron starts hesitantly "When we were there, there couldn't have been more than five people there"

"Well maybe they left before you guys came. The place usually clears out at that time."

"Well okay then" Ron says but they aren't a hundred percent convinced. Because it's Hermione they are talking about, they will let it go.

That night:

"You're doing that wrong"

"What do you know about it Granger?"

"I've read all the books I could find about vanishing cabinets and I know that what you are doing right now is wrong."

"What should I do then?"

"I'm not going to tell you"

"You're telling be I'm making a mistake and then you won't tell me what it is?"

"Yes"

"That's just cruel."

"I can't help you with this you know that"

"I know you don't want to but you could at least give me one or two of those books so I could get one very angry dark lord off my back!"

Hermione doesn't reply. She has a troubled look on her face. He smirks at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You want to tell me. You want to show you are better than me in something and now you can't. It's bugging you."

"That is so far from the truth Malfoy you don't have a clue what I'm thinking"

"Don't I?"

"Don't you dare read my mind Draco Malfoy! You promised me you wouldn't."

"I'm not doing anything."

"Right"

"You don't believe me?"

"Why would I?"

"Because I'm telling the truth"

"That's what you say. I have to go. I'm not giving you those books. Figure it out for yourself."

"I will, don't worry."

The next day they have only one class together. Potions. Hermione also has ancient runes, advanced transfiguration and advanced herbology. Harry and Ron are lucky to have only potions that they. As usual they will spend the rest of the afternoon on the quiddich field. In two days they'll have a match against Slytherin. Although they practically always win they do have to prepare for the match. Slytherins aren't known for their fair playing. Hermione is glad not to have the afternoon off too. Her friends would force her to come watch them practice and then talk through every detail about it afterwards. That is not something she'd enjoy. At dinner Harry and Ron are still telling each other how they are going to kick some Slytherin butt. Hermione and Luna are talking together, glad to have each other and not have to listen to quiddich again.

When Harry, Ron and Hermione are walking back to the Gryffindor common room Hermione notices Draco going towards the room of requirement. The entrance is at a wall you don't walk by every day and classes are over so the room of requirement is the only place he could be going to. She wonders what he'll be doing there. It isn't eight O'clock yet. He could be working on the vanishing cabinet some more. Maybe the dark lord has been complaining about how long it's taking.

"I think I forgot to do something" Hermione tells her friends and stops walking. They turn around to face her. "You two go ahead, I'll see you later okay?"

"Sure Mione, But you are going to help me with my potions essay tonight right?" Ron asks her hopefully.

"Yes of course" Ron nods and he and Harry continue on to the common room. Hermione follows Draco to the room of requirement. When she looks around the corner she can see him enter the room. As quietly as possible she runs over there and slips into the room. On her way she stops to look at the birdcage in the hall. _That's weird. I could have sworn there was a bird in here yesterday. Oh well. Maybe I imagined it._

Inside the room Hermione hides herself from his view. She can't exactly see what he's doing. He put something inside the vanishing cabinet. He is now waiting. She decides he is probably just doing another one of his experiences and walks towards him. He doesn't seem to realize she is standing behind him and jumps when he hears her speak.

"What are you doing?" She asks him.

"Bloody hell Granger, What are you doing here?"

"I saw you going this way and I was wondering what you would do."

"Are you stalking me now?"

"No I was just curious"

"It's not eight yet. Shouldn't you do something else right about now?"

"Are you okay? Why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just doing another test that's all."

"What are you testing?"

"Nothing. Just leave."

"No I want to see"

"Fine. But I can't help it if you won't like it."

"I'm a big girl Malfoy. I'm sure I can handle seeing an apple."

Draco opens the door but remains in the opening so Hermione won't be able to see. He closes the door again.

"What is it? Didn't it work?"

"The experiment failed."

"What is it Malfoy? Let me see." She pushes him aside and opens the door. On the floor lies the bird from the birdcage in the hallway. It's dead. Hermione covers her mouth with her left hand and quickly closes the door again with her right.

"See Granger, I knew you wouldn't want to see it."

"The bird is dead Malfoy. This is just cruel. What were you trying to do?"

"I was testing if you could get living creatures through there. It didn't quite work as it was supposed to"

"You can say that all right."

"Look Granger. I was doing this now so you wouldn't have to know. It is not my fault you followed me up here you know."

"So now it's my fault? I'm not the one who put the bird in there!"

"I had to test it didn't I?"

"You could have just let the deatheaters die"

"You know I couldn't do that Granger"

"Yeah I suppose so. I'd better go before Harry and Ron will get suspicious. I'll see you tomorrow"

"I won't be here tomorrow"

"Why not?"

"Quiddich practice. It's the last practice before the game against your house."

"Couldn't you practice some other time?"

"No. potter booked the field the entire day. It's pathetic really."

"Well Malfoy, if you do win, feel free to rub it in when Harry and Ron are around."

He smirks. "Do you want me to win?"

"Yes. It would be really good for Harry and Ron to lose for once. They've been driving me nuts!"

"If we win I'll make sure to remind them for the next week or so." He smirks. She smiles at him.

"Thank you"

"Oh believe me. It would be my pleasure." He smirks at her.

"I can imagine" She smiles some more.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." He raises an eyebrow and she leaves he room before he can say anything to her.

"Hello Hermione. What did you forget?" Ron asks her.

"Nothing. Is that my potions essay?" she points at the paper in front of Ron.

"Well yes but you were gone for so long and it's due tomorrow and I was just checking my answers with yours." Hermione snatches her paper out of his hands.

"You know I don't want you copying my answers Ron. You can figure out the answers on your own now"

"You're not even going to help me?"

"No. Looks like you've had enough help from me already."

"I told you so." Harry tells Ron and laughs.

"Don't you start too harry! I know you looked too!" And then she storms off to the girls dormitories.


	22. The match

**Chapter 22: The match**

"Ten points for Gryffindor! That makes fifty points for Gryffindor and twenty points for Slytherin!" Lee Jordan is saying through the microphone.

The rain is pouting down from the sky and everyone is soaking wet. The game has been going on for several hours by now and neither Harry nor Draco has caught the snitch. It must be really hard seeing it with all the rain but the supporters are getting quite anxious to get back inside where there is a warm fireplace and some hot chocolate.

Most of the Huffelpuf and Ravenclaw students went back inside. However, none of the Gryffindor or Slytherin students will leave before the game is over, even if it means they'll all catch a cold. The game itself is rather bad too. Slytherin is playing very rough as always and Gryffindor has lost two guys by now, including Ron. Without a keeper it was easier for Slytherin to score and they scored twice before one of the chasers decided to take Ron's place. Slytherin is short one person too. The guy was hit by a bludger and fell to the ground. Every time someone almost scored the crowd yelled oohs and aahs but now, after two hours, all you can hear is the clattering of their teeth. Not that there is much to yell for anyway. Seven goals in over two hours aren't exactly thrilling to watch. Hermione does have some fun watching some of her classmates failed attempts to keep the mascara from running down their faces. It's at moments like these that Hermione realizes how easy it is when you don't wear make-up and you put your hair up. All the girls know it is hopeless anyway with weather like this.

"Draco Malfoy shoots down. Has he seen the snitch?" That announcement makes Hermione snap out of her own thoughts and she gets to the front of her seat to watch. Draco is indeed following the snitch and Harry is following him. Harry is flying faster than Draco. When Harry tries to fly next to his rival he sticks out his leg. Harry is flying too fast and too close to maneuvers himself around it and is now kicked back by Draco. Draco turns his focus back to the snitch but the little ball is long gone.

"Harry caught the snitch!" Draco turns around to see for himself if this is true. "No wait, it slipped through his fingers." Harry is cursing and Draco laughs at him.

"What's wrong Potter? Can't hold on to the snitch?"

"It's damn slippery because of the rain Malfoy. I haven't seen you catch it! Come to think of it, I don't remember the last time you did catch it!"

"Shut up Potter!"

"Make me" Draco starts to get real angry and starts flying faster after the snitch. He attempts to grab the snitch but Harry was right. It is slippery. Draco lets go of his broom so he can hold on to it with both hands. Harry tries again and fails again. Draco leans forward as much as he can without falling off and catches the snitch. He almost falls off and he almost loses the snitch when he lets go with one hand to take control over his broom again but he has it. He has caught the snitch!

"Draco Malfoy has caught the snitch! The game is over. Slytherin won the game. Now I'm out of here! Safe me some hot chocolate people!"

Hermione laughs at Lee's final announcement. Around her people are all disappointed but she isn't. She knows that Quiddich is the only thing that keeps Draco going right now. He is having a very hard time, especially now that the death eaters are losing their patience. Besides, the look on Harry's face is priceless! At least she can be sure that they won't be speaking of Quiddich any time soon. They never do after they've lost.

Hermione follows the crowd back to the castle. She decides to go to the boys' dressing room to wait for Harry. He will want to visit Ron at the hospital wing. It's hard to tell how badly he's injured during the game. She couldn't quite see because of the rain. The Gryffindor dressing room is opposite the Slytherin dressing room. Hermione leans against the wall next to the Slytherin dressing-room-door straight across the Gryffindor dressing-room-door. This way she will see Harry come out. She doesn't want to miss him in the crowd. It's no fun waiting in the rain. And it won't be fun waiting there for nothing because Harry has already left.

Suddenly someone pulls her with him behind the Slytherin dressing room. She wants to scream but this person has his hand over her mouth. They are now behind the small stone wall of the dressing room. There is no window through which they can be seen and they are surrounded by trees bushes. Nobody can see them. The thought scares her. What if it's a death eater? "It's me relax" whispers the man behind her. Hermione relaxes when she recognizes the voice. It's a death eater all right but not so much a scary one. "I'll let go if you promise not to scream" Hermione nods and he keeps his promise. She turns around. There isn't much room where they are so she is standing really close to Draco. He is smiling like a crazy person. His hair is wet from the rain and it isn't perfectly styled like he usually wears it. She likes this look. His hair is all messed up but it makes him look really hot. It's still raining and his school robes are almost drenched by now. She was happy to state that the rain didn't wash off his far too expensive cologne which she likes so much.

"Congratulations!" She smiles at him.

"Thank you. Did you see me? I thought I'd fall off my broom but I wouldn't let go of the snitch. I wouldn't let Potter have the satisfaction after I made fun of him for letting it slip through his fingers. It felt so good to win."

"Draco, breath" She smiles. He is breathing heavily from either the rush of winning or the high speed in which he's talking. He puts his hand against the wall above her right shoulder.

"I'm sorry" He is still smiling. They stay this way for a couple of seconds so Draco can catch his breath. Hermione is still waiting for an explanation for why she's here.

"That smile isn't leaving your face the rest of the day is it?"

"I don't think so" He tells her. "I'm sorry for dragging you out here so suddenly. I had to see you. Slytherins are throwing a celebration party so I'm not sure if I can come tonight but I had to see you."

"It's okay. I'm very proud of you." She tells him and it makes him smile.

He bends down and kisses her hard on the lips. After the few seconds it takes her to get over the shock Hermione kisses him back. She is slightly disappointed when he pulls back again.

"I should probably go before someone notices my absence" Draco tells her. From the look in his eyes Hermione can see he's as shocked as she is, clearly he didn't plan on doing that just now.

"Go. Have fun. Make fun of my friends when you get the chance. Go easy on Ron though, I don't know how he's doing."

"Oh right, he's at the hospital wing."

"Yes. I was waiting for Harry to go see him."

"So that's what you were doing there. I was wondering why you were standing next to the Slytherin dressing room door." Draco has to admit to himself that he is slightly disappointed that she wasn't waiting for him there. Of course she wasn't, nobody knew about their, what? Friendship?

"I bet you were" She smiles. He smiles back. He kisses her one more time, just because he wanted to feel her lips on his again and then he is gone. The moment had passed before she knew it.


	23. Celebration ice cream

**Sorry for not updating. Hope you enjoy these two chapters. **

**Chapter 23: Celebration ice cream**

Hermione stays where she is for a few seconds to catch her breath. _What has just happened? I kissed Draco Malfoy. Twice. Believing Muggleborns are beneath him and then kissing me, makes him kind of a hypocrite doesn't it? Does he even still believe those things? He never wanted to be a death eater. That's why he asked for my help. Has he changed his mind? What is going on?_

Hermione shakes her head and starts walking towards the castle. It's still raining, not as fiercely as it was before but still enough to make you want to run inside. When she gets to the hospital wing Harry is already there sitting on the chair beside Ron's bed. Ron is sitting with both legs hanging from the bed.

"Where were you Hermione? I thought you'd wait for me so we could come here together. When I didn't see you I figured you were already here but you weren't."

"I'm sorry I, I really needed to pee and I couldn't wait for you anymore and you know how it is, girls bathrooms always have a queue."

"Okay, that explains it."

"How are you doing Ron?" She asks him, both out of concern and to change the subject.

"I'm fine. They gave me a potion to reduce the swelling so I won't be all blue tomorrow. And one to make sure I don't get a cold. I can go in half an hour."

"Okay that's great. I'm glad to hear that. You've fallen pretty hard. I was worried."

"You don't have to worry about me Mione, I'm fine." He smiles dearly at her.

"Good. Would you mind if I go get me some dry clothes? At least you two were doing something out there, I was just standing there in the wind and the rain."

"Sure go ahead. We'll see you later."

"Okay bye"

"Bye" Harry says to her and then he turns to Ron to finish telling him about the part of the game he's missed.

When Hermione walks up the stairs she sees Draco and about a dozen other Slytherins running through the halls screaming and holding up flags. A few people have to jump aside because the group neither watches nor cares where they are going. They've won a game of Quiddich and the whole school has to hear it. They'll probably have a party tonight too. When she arrives at the common room she grabs some random clothes and heads for the shower. When she comes downstairs again about a half an hour later Harry and Ron have arrived too. Neither of the guys is in a good mood. Anybody who brings up the subject Quiddich right now can expect a hex or two coming their way.

"Hi guys"

"Hello Hermione" Harry tries to make a smile appear on his face but fails terribly. Ron just grunts.

"What happened? You weren't so down when I saw you half an hour before"

"That was before Harry told me that we lost the game and before the ferret had to make it worse by rubbing it in our faces."

Hermione holds back a smile. "What did he say?"

"What didn't he say you mean! The stupid ferret has to learn to keep his mouth shut. So he won one game, we won all the other ones. Winning one game doesn't make you better than us!" Ron is clearly really mad so Hermione decides to drop the subject.

"Well let's just focus on something else" she tells them and turns around pretending to look at a book just so they won't be able to see her smile.

"Good idea Hermione, what did you have in mind?" Harry asks her.

"We still have to work on our transfiguration homework and I'm sure you two haven't finished your potions homework either."

"You want us to do homework? Now? I'm not in the mood Mione."

She turns back around. "You are never in the mood for homework Ronald. Do you have a better idea?"

"We could get ice cream and mope all night."

"I like Ron's idea Mione, sorry."

"Fine. But don't ask me for help later."

"Okay. Could you get us some ice cream?"

"You want me to go get your ice cream Ron? Are you kidding me?"

"Why, you're done with your homework anyway what else do you want to do?"

"I have things to do besides homework!"

"Name one"

"Fine, I'll get your ice cream. But you owe me then"

"Thanks Mione you're the best! I'd like chocolate"

"Me too. If possible with chocolate chips please" Harry tells her. Hermione rolls her eyes and then leaves.

When Hermione has finally escaped the overenthusiastic dobby in the kitchen she is making her way back to the Gryffindor common room with her hands full with three baskets of ice cream. _I'm insane for doing this. _She is thinking to herself. _Why am I doing this? They lost a Quiddich match, so what? I'm the one who had to just stand there in the cold! If anyone it should be me who is allowed to lay back and have ice cream get for her by her friends. You know what? They can forget their ice cream. I'm going to eat all of this myself! _She looks down at the three buckets in her arms. _Well maybe not all of it. It is a bit much for one person. I'm going to have me a nice normal evening of studying with a nice basket of ice cream. One problem though, I can't eat in the library. Oh well, I can study in the room of requirement too._

Hermione goes to the room of requirement and finds herself in a nice cozy room. The fireplace has a nice fire in it that has already warmed up the room. There is a big black sofa in front of it and a big table. It's big enough for all her books. "Accio school books" Hermione calls and she quickly opens the window to let the books fly in. They land on a neat pile on the table next to the ice cream she put down a minute ago. Hermione lets she fall back onto the sofa and sighs. _This is just perfect. _Hermione grabs one of the baskets of chocolate chip ice cream and stuffs a spoon full of it in her mouth. It's delicious. Hermione feels like she is in heaven until someone decides to ruin her peace. She hears a knock on the door. At first she tries to ignore it, hoping the intruder will get the hint and leave but that doesn't happen. The knocking continues and with a loud sigh Hermione gets up to open the door. Knocking on the door is the Slytherin prince himself.

"Aren't you supposed to be celebrating with your friends?" She asks him.

"I was but then I saw you coming up here with all of that ice cream. I wanted to see you eat all of that by yourself."

"Did you?"

"And I was wondering if maybe you'd share it with me. It is time for celebration. For me it is anyway." 

"I was actually studying"

"Then you'd better give me some ice cream so I'll keep quiet." He smirks at her and walks past her into the room without her response or permission to do so. She closes the door behind her and leans against it. He makes himself comfortable on the sofa, picks up her ice cream and spoon and takes a big bite.

"It's good." He tells her.

"Malfoy, what are you doing?"

"Eating ice cream and enjoying my victory"

"Yes I get that but what are you doing here? With me?"

"What do you mean?" He takes another bite.

"I mean, we used to be enemies, then I help you, then we become something like friends, then you kiss me, and now you are here eating my ice cream"

"Don't ask me hard questions"

"Fine, I'll make it simple. What do you want from me? What exactly am I to you?"

"I don't know"

"How could you not know?"

"I just don't. Will you stop with the questions and sit down? Eat your ice cream, do your homework for all I care, just leave me alone"

Hermione doesn't like his tone and gets pretty pissed. She decides not to say anything back to that. If he wants to be left alone she'll leave him alone. He can celebrate his victory on his own. She picks up her books and leaves. Draco is confused by her departure but knows he can't run after her. They can only talk when they're well inside this room. He sighs. Suddenly the ice cream doesn't taste good anymore.


	24. Party time

**Chapter 24: Party time**

Professor Slughorn is busy collecting pictures famous wizards. He's been doing that for years. Those pictures get a very special spot in his room where everyone that comes to visit him can see them. He is throwing a party for those students in Hogwarts that he considers worthy of a spot in his collection. Harry and Hermione were invited and they are allowed to bring a friend. Harry asked Luna of course. Hermione tried to ask Ron but he was rude to them. He said all these things about the party being stupid and that it was also stupid of them to go. Hermione decided to invite Cormac. She can't stand the guy but she knows Ron can't either. He is the person that would annoy Ron the most if he would go with her. Maybe inviting Draco would make Ron feel even more uncomfortable but she'd have a lot of explaining to do and that wouldn't be a good idea right now. When she asked Cormac it seemed like a pretty solid plan. However, she hadn't thought she would have to be hiding from him all night to prevent him from kissing her. It was a childish plan to invite someone just because Ron wouldn't approve. She knew it when she asked Cormac to join her and she knows it now. When Ron asks how her evening had been she will tell him she had a wonderful time. It isn't even a complete lie. When Cormac is talking to someone else or goes to the bathroom she has a great time with her friends. She just won't give Ron the satisfaction of knowing how she hated most of her time at the party. Now is one of the times where Cormac isn't around. Cormac is all the way on the other side of the room and Hermione is talking to her friends.

"I can't believe what a jerk Ron can be sometimes" Hermione tells Harry and Luna at the party. She is still mad at him for what he said and her little revenge isn't making it easier for her either.

"You know he can be like that sometimes Mione" Harry tries to comfort her.

"I still don't get it. He didn't have to be so rude!"

"It's like a little Livoran family" Luna tells them. Harry and Hermione are both looking at her like she is speaking French or Chinese.

"What is a Livoran Luna?" Hermione asks her. She isn't used to not knowing something but with Luna around she has to face the fact she doesn't know all that much about magical creatures more and more.

"It's a donkey like creature I guess. It's all black and it looks mean but it is actually really nice. They are regularly misunderstood because of their looks."

"I didn't know that. What does it have to do with Ron though?"

"After a baby Livoran is born the father has no role anymore. It happens a lot that he gets jealous when the mother and the children are together. You three are like a team and he is probably jealous that he wasn't invited like you two. He feels left out I believe."

"It does make sense." Harry agrees.

"Yes it does. But he was still too rude!"

Later that evening Hermione sees Snape approach Harry and they talk about something. She wonders what it could be about. She makes a mental note to ask Harry about it later. She is already going over all the things that Snape would want to talk to Harry about when her thoughts are interrupted by two people storming into the room. Draco is dragged in the room by one of the professors. He was caught sneaking of to the room of requirement after curfew. Only the ones invited for the party were allowed to wander around the halls after curfew that night. The door is on the other side of the room from her and she is even hiding from Cormac behind a plant but he sees her.

She is wearing a skintight, knee length, skin colored dress. Even though the color is close to her skin color it looks fabulous on her. The dress has a low cut in the front and the back. The skirt stands out a bit from her hips down and accentuates her curvy hips. Draco's eyes slowly make their way down and up her body. He is surprised to see her like this. He never noticed that underneath her school robes was a great body hidden. At the Yule ball he didn't pay attention to her. She is the Gryffindor Mudblood after all. Now he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

Hermione doesn't know what to think of him looking at her like that. She feels like she is naked at the doctor's office to be examined all over. The surprised look on his face makes her feel both insulted and flattered. She mimics his famous smirk, raises her eyebrows and looks him straight in the eyes. When his face reaches her face again he freaks by the realization that his staring wasn't left unnoticed. He turns his gaze somewhere else as quick as possible. Hermione smiles. He probably didn't realize what he was doing until he saw her looking back. Snape takes Draco with him. Without looking at her again Draco leaves the room. Hermione lets out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Her heart is pounding loudly. Hermione and Draco haven't spoken again after he told her to leave him alone. She wants to talk to him again. Just seeing him for a few seconds made her heart race. Hermione sees her friend Harry leave. Harry was close to the door but she wasn't. She tries to follow him but when she reaches the door he is out of sight. She decides to ask Luna if she knows anything instead of trying to find Harry in the deserted corridors. It was after curfew after all.

Later

Harry comes running in the common room. He takes a second to catch his breath and then tells her something that happened moments earlier. Harry has found Draco in one of the bathrooms. He was crying. When he noticed Harry the two of them started dueling. Harry had remembered a spell he read about in the potions book of the half-blood prince. The spell was called 'Sectum Sempra'. It didn't say what it would do; only that it was for enemies. Harry cast the spell on Draco who immediately fell to the ground. His entire body was full of cuts and there was blood everywhere. Snape came running and Harry left before he was seen.

"What happened to Malfoy after that?" Hermione asks him. She tries to hold back her concerned tone but fails miserably. Fortunately Harry was too shaken up from what had happened that he didn't notice it.

"I don't know. I couldn't see. Snape was with him so I guess he is at the hospital wing now. I can't believe I did this. I hate him but I didn't want to hurt him like that. I don't even know what I did exactly."

"That book is evil Harry! You have to destroy it or at least put it back. Get rid of it! How could you fire a spell you didn't know? He could have died! He could still die!"

"I know I feel terrible! What should I do?"

"I have to go"

"Where are you going Hermione?"

She didn't answer. She heard the question but didn't want to answer it. She is gone.

She sees Ron on the stairs while running up the stairs.

"Go see Harry Ron. He has something important to tell you. Make him get rid of that damned potions book!" She shouts at him and then continues to run up the stairs. At times like this she hates it when she has to wait for the stairs to go to the right floor. Hermione knows she can't see Draco anywhere but the room of requirement. She also knows he is probably at the hospital wing and that he can't see her. She goes to the room of requirement anyway. She paces back and forth the room for two hours. She is worrying like crazy. She can't make a rational decision anymore. She can't wait around any longer and decides to go get Harry's invisibility cloak. Ten minutes later she is at the door of the hospital wing. It is eleven PM now and students aren't supposed to wander around the halls of Hogwarts at this hour. She takes a deep breath and opens the door as quietly as possible. No alarms go off so that's a good start. There are several students in the room but only one bed is surrounded by a curtain. Draco must be behind it. She tiptoes over to the bed and takes a peek behind the curtain. Draco really is there. He looks as pale as a ghost. Paler than usually.

"Draco" She whispers. He doesn't move.

"Draco!" She whispers a bit louder. He wakes up and looks around. He doesn't see her.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

"It's me" she whispers.

"Granger? What are you doing here? What if someone sees you?" He whispers back, well aware that he can't speak any louder.

"I wanted to know if you were okay"

"Were you worried?"

"Maybe"

"I'm alive, but not thanks to your beloved Potter" he said his name like he it was disgusting.

"I am so sorry about that"

"Why would you be sorry?"

"Miss. Granger you are not supposed to be here" Both teenagers look behind them and see their school nurse. This isn't good. Not only was she caught after hours, she was also seen socializing with Draco Malfoy. If the word will spread their plan to safe Dumbledore will fall apart. If Voldemort finds out he will kill Draco in a heartbeat. No, this isn't good. This isn't good at all.


	25. The plan

**Chapter 25: The plan**

"I would like an explanation. Follow me to my office please."

Madam Pomfrey walks away and Draco gets out of bed. When Hermione sees his body and she is horrified. He is only wearing his boxers and his body is covered with deep cuts.

"Don't look at me Granger"

"I'm sorry. You look terrible."

"Thanks. It's always nice to hear that."

"Sorry. What should we do? Nobody can find out about this."

"I don't know. You shouldn't have come."

"I was worried. You were crying and Harry told me he didn't know if you'd survive this many cuts."

"I wasn't crying"

"What were you doing then?"

Draco is trying to put on a black shirt and moans. Every movement he makes hurts.

"Do you need help?"

"No."

"Fine Malfoy be like that. I'll see you in a minute." She walks towards the nurse. She isn't in a good mood.

He sighs. He doesn't want her to see him so weak. She saw his naked chest and all he saw in her eyes was sorrow and disgust. No lust or admiration at all. He felt a little rejected and now he rejected her. Great.

"Sit down Miss Granger. Is Mr. Malfoy almost done?"

"I think so."

"Good." They wait in silence. Hermione looks around the room, everywhere but at Madam Pomfrey. Draco enters the office a mere minute later and sits down next to Hermione on the opposite side of Madam Pomfreys desk.

"Now, I believe I will have to wake your house heads. Professor McGonagall and professor Snape won't be pleased you've woken them up."

"Don't!" Draco almost yells.

"I mean, you don't need to wake them. This is a matter that concerns Dumbledore."

"Mr. Malfoy, students out of bed isn't a matter for our head master." Madam Pomfrey tells him.

"We have something to discuss with him and only him." Draco tells her. Hermione looks curiously at him. He doesn't look at her.

"Very well then, wait here?"

She walks away and leaves Draco and Hermione in her office.

"Are you going to talk to Dumbledore about Voldemort?" Hermione asks him.

"We have to. The vanishing cabinet works. The attack is tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? So soon? Is that why you were crying?"

"I wasn't crying."

"Yes you were."

"Will you focus on the important issue here?"

"Yes of course. Do you have a plan?"

"No"

"Great." She says sarcastically.

"I'm going to tell Dumbledore and he'll know what to do."

"That sounds like a plan"

"I guess it is in a way, but it's more a strategy"

"They're coming Malfoy"

"I'll be reading your mind during this conversation. Just so you know." Hermione shoots daggers at him through her eyes.

"Don't you dare!"

"Shht"

"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger."

"Good evening." Dumbledore sits down on the opposite side of the table and dismisses Madam Pomfrey.

"What is going on?"

Hermione looks at Malfoy. She can't tell Dumbledore anything because of the unbreakable vow. It isn't her story to tell anyway. Therefore she keeps quiet where she would usually cut in and correct the story he is telling.

"There is something you should know."

"I'm listening" Dumbledore tells him.

"The deatheaters are attacking Hogwarts tomorrow night." Draco waits for a response but when he doesn't get any he continues. "The dark lord has it in for you for a long time now and tomorrow he wants me to kill you. The deatheaters will get into the castle through the vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement which I've been repairing the past year." Draco can't look his head master in the eye now and looks around the room. When his gaze passes Hermione she gives him an encouraging nod.

"I am very glad you chose to tell me this at last. I can safely assume the necklace and the poisoned bottle of wizarding wine came from you. I have to say those were very bad attempts to take my life."

"That was the point sir. I had to do something, the dark lord would know when I didn't and punish me, but I couldn't kill you. I don't think I can now either."

"You don't think?"

"I'm sure. That's why I'm here. We have to come up with a plan. I don't want to die for disobedience. I don't want to die at all."

"I see. Miss Granger what is your role in this?"

"I've known all along but I couldn't say anything. I've been watching him."

"I see. Well this is what will happen:" Several hours later the sun is already coming up as the two students and their head master get out of the nurses office. Each goes their separate ways to prepare for the nights events.

It is ten PM and Hermione still hasn't heard from Dumbledore, Harry, the order or Draco. Dumbledore took Harry with him in search of a horcrux. Hermione asked if it wouldn't be better to do that afterwards. Dumbledore told her that is was now more important to go than ever. Hermione is pacing around in the common room waiting for any news. Nobody knows about what might be happening. None of the students besides her and Draco Not even Harry. He believes Dumbledore just wanted to go on a regular horcrux hunt like they've been going on several times before. When he comes back he won't be suspecting an ambush. Several order members are currently in the castle. That nobody knows anything is Dumbledore's fault. He insisted on keeping the rest of them out of the loop. Ron is happily asleep thinking nothing is wrong and Luna is probably asleep too. Ginny suspected something was on her mind when she saw Hermione pacing in the common room when she got out of bed to pee. Hermione told her it was nothing and Ginny shrugged and went back to bed.

It is the worst to not know anything at all. She doesn't know if Dumbledore and Harry have returned yet. She doesn't know if the death eaters are inside already or not. She doesn't know if any of the people she cares about is hurt or even dead. She wouldn't survive if Harry or Dumbledore or the order waiting for them would get hurt while she was just standing there in the common room doing nothing. A voice in the back of her mind reminds her that she wouldn't survive if Draco got hurt with her just standing there doing nothing. He is in the most dangerous position of them all. The deatheaters suspect to find Dumbledore alone. The order knows what's going on. Dumbledore too. Harry might not but when he finds out he has a lot of people to protect him. Draco doesn't have that. If he will point his wand at Dumbledore, even if it is just to play along, he will have at least ten hexes cast his way. If he doesn't kill Dumbledore the deatheaters might take him with them and Merlin knows what might happen to him then.

Hermione decides to step out of the common room and ignore Dumbledore's orders. She will stay put but she has to know if anything is going on. She looks left and right and sees nothing. She turns around to get back in to the common room and that's when she hears it, the most deafening cry of pain that makes her heart stop.


	26. On the astronomy tower

**Chapter 26: On the astronomy tower**

The cry she hears leaves Hermione nailed to the ground. She dares not to turn around to see where the sound came from. She dares not get back in either. She can't pretend nothing is up and just act like she didn't hear anything. She has to make a decision. She has to make it fast. She knows it may not be the best idea but it's the only choice she has. She runs back inside and up the stairs that lead to the dorms. She wakes up Ginny first and tells her to get her wand and get dressed as quickly as possible. Without thinking she runs inside the boys' dorms and shakes Ron until he wakes up.

"Hermione?"

"It's me you have to get up now"

"What are you doing here? You aren't allowed to be here."

"Death eaters are inside the castle. The order is too. I wasn't supposed to say anything but I heard someone scream. What if Dumbledore is dead? Or harry?" Or Draco, but she doesn't say that. "We have to do something."

With a horrid look on his face Ron needs a few seconds to let her words sink in. He wasn't entirely awake yet. When he realizes what she tells him he pulls back the covers and gets up faster than she has ever seen him get up. Usually he is a bit slow. Hermione leaves the room and finds Ginny at the common room. Hermione quickly tells her what's going on while they wait for Ron to descend the staircase. When he does they quickly and quietly leave the common room. Ron was clever enough to grab Harry's invisibility cloak. Ron and Ginny are both very tall and it's a good thing Hermione is so small because they only just fit underneath it. Hermione wanted to wake Luna but they don't have the password to the Ravenclaw dorms so that won't be possible, especially in such a short time.

As quick as they can, which isn't quick at all since they have to be careful not to reveal themselves, they make their way to the astronomy tower. In the astronomy tower there is a closed staircase which blocks the view from the several different levels. Harry and Dumbledore arrive at the highest level right about when they arrive there too. Dumbledore asks Harry to promise him to do anything he tells him. Harry agrees and Dumbledore orders him to get down one level, hide, and stay quiet. He isn't allowed to come out whatever happens. From where Hermione Ron and Ginny are standing they can see several order members standing on the level harry was just send to. They suddenly hear footsteps behind them. Quickly they move up the last steps and get to Dumbledore's side. The platform they are standing on is round with a gap in the middle for a huge telescope coming through. Dumbledore has always been able to see right through the invisibility cloak, as a matter of speech. He gives them a disapproving look but says nothing because only second's later Draco get's in. He is followed by several death eaters. Bellatrix is there, Fenrir, Snape and Lucius Malfoy too.

Draco looks like hell. He is very pale. He hardly recovered from his run in with Harry the other day. His hands look like they've been burned. Hermione feels her heart beating so fast that she thinks it might break her chest. She feels so many things at once. She is anxious of what will happen, scared for Draco too, curious to know what happened to his hands, eager to have all of this over and done with, admiration for Draco's strength for both standing up for their side while pretending to be on the other and for standing there like a man after all he's been through. For the first time Hermione realizes she admires Draco. He has become more of a man than she ever expected from him.

Draco is standing opposite of Dumbledore and he's looking straight at him. Around him the other deatheaters have formed a half circle for back up. Bellatrix is standing on his right and Fenrir next to her. On his left side you have Snape and Lucius. Dumbledore is speaking to Draco. He is telling him that this is not what he wants. He tells him that he isn't a killer and that he doesn't want this. Bellatrix is whispering in his ear. Hermione can't hear what she's saying but it can't be good with that evil grin on her face. Draco is struggling with his choices. He has been fighting against this moment for so long but now that he is actually standing there with his wand pointed at Dumbledore and all the deatheaters around him it is even more difficult than he thought it would be. Hermione is scared. She has no idea what will happen next. She is certain now that the scream she heard came from Draco. Whatever the deatheaters have done to him it seemed to have worked. Hermione fears for the choice he will make.

Finally Draco lowers his wand and Hermione feels a rush of pride and admiration shoot through her from her head to the tip of her toes. That feeling is very soon replaced by more fear. After Draco lowers his wand Bellatrix starts screaming. Members of the order are coming in and shooting hexes at the Deatheaters. Snape pushes Draco against the wall and orders him to stay down. Harry tried to get up on their level but he too got pushed back by his elders. Hermione Ginny and Ron are standing there frozen uncertain what to do. Everything happens so fast that they don't even have time to do anything. Before she knows it Lucius is hit and dies and seconds later Dumbledore is death and falling off the tower. All the order members are distracted and some try to grab Dumbledore's arm to keep him from falling but they fail. The deatheaters see this opportunity to leave and Fenrir drags Draco with him. Draco looks scared and Hermione can't let them take him with them. She runs after them leaving Ron and Ginny behind who rush towards Harry.

Hermione has no idea what she has to do. She has to stop the deatheaters from taking Draco somehow and she has to do it alone and fast. She runs after them and tries to make up a plan as she goes.


	27. Safe me

**Chapter 27: Safe me**

Bellatrix Lastrange is running on one of the tables in the great hall smashing all the plates and glasses she passes. Snape and Fenrir are close to the door already and Draco is walking behind them looking around. He sees the damage his aunt is doing to the great hall and he realizes that all of this, the mess, his father's and Dumbledore's death, it's all on him. He let the deatheathers in. He was so scared for his own life that he cost this great wizard his. It all seems so pointless now. He can't stay in the castle, the order would kill him. He has to go with the death eaters now but he can't even be sure that Voldemort will keep him alive. He failed after all and surely he will find out that the order wasn't there for a tea party. The dark lord will know he talked and that might still cost him his life.

Hermione is following the group under the invisibility cloak. Although she thinks it's a shame all these nice glasses are being ruined she is also thankful that Bellatrix is making so much noise. Draco is walking pretty fast and she has a hard time keeping up with him without being heard. She made Draco swear he would never read her mind; Merlin knows he didn't keep that promise, and now she wishes he would somehow sense her presence and listen. She is screaming inside her head hoping he will hear but he is too shocked and disoriented to notice her. It's a lost cause and she knows it.

She whispers "Draco"

"Who's there?"

"What are you talking about Draco?" Bellatrix yells at him. She is too far away to hear Hermione whisper.

"You idiot it's me."

Draco recognizes the voice.

"It's nothing"

"Hurry up Draco"

Draco doesn't answer. Instead he listens to Hermione's thoughts.

_Are you listening to me? Nod if you do. _He nods. _You swore you would never do that but that's not important tight now. We need to get you away from these deatheaters. _He is surprised she followed him. She wants to safe him. He didn't expect her to follow Dumbledore's orders and stay in the common room but she hadn't expected her to follow him instead of mourn for Dumbledore with her friends. He wants to tell her how dangerous this is. That she has gone mad and that she has to leave but he doesn't. He never felt like this. She is risking her life wheter she knows it or not. Somehow knowing that she cares makes this whole situation better.

_I'm guessing all the bruises came from them? Not just from Harry's attack? _He nods again and keeps walking. He is looking straight ahead. An outsider would not notice the conversation between them. _I thought so. I'm not letting you leave with them. We have to get you away somehow. I'm alone. I couldn't tell anyone. Are you going back to the vanishing cabinet? _He shakes his head. _Are you going to walk until you're off Hogwarts grounds to apparate?_ He nods. _Make sure you're the last one to leave. We might be able to fight one of the deatheaters together but not all of them._ He nods. They are now outside of the caste and walking towards Hagrid's hut. Snape waited for Draco by the door and is now walking next to them. Hermione keeps quiet. She has no idea if Snape can hear her thoughts as well and she'll make sure he won't notice her just in case.

Suddenly Harry is running behind them. He tries to hex Snape but he blocks it without any trouble. "Go on Draco I'll catch up with you in a minute" Draco walks towards his aunt Bellatrix but Hermione stays behind. She has to make sure Harry is okay.

"Sectumsempra" Harry yells and again Snape blocks the curse. Harry falls to the ground and Snape walks over to him.

"How dare you use my own spells against me Potter?"

Harry looks confused and Hermione is too.

"That's right Potter, I'm the half blood prince" Harry doesn't say anything. He doesn't get a chance either. Bellatrix is running towards them.

"Well well, Harry Potter" She says.

"Don't" Snape tells her. "He belongs to the dark lord" Bellatrix makes a face at him but obeys. The two of them walk away.

"Harry" Hermione whispers.

"Hermione?"

"It's me. You have to help me"

"Help you do what?"

"Save Draco"

"What? He tried to kill Dumbledore"

"But he didn't. He lowered his wand"

"But he still wanted to"

"Just trust me Harry we don't have much time"

"I don't understand"

"It doesn't matter just get under this cloak and follow. We have to hurry. If we don't get there in time he will die."

"Why do you care?"

"Stop asking questions Harry it's not the right time for that." He shuts up and together they are running after the group of death eaters. It's hard not to trip and fall. They've grown a lot since their first year and now they hardly fit under the cloak together, never mind with Ron too. They run through the dark forest past Hagrid's burning house. They see his dog sitting a few yards away and looking at the flames. Hagrid is inside the castle so they don't have to worry about him. They have bigger issues now. They can hardly see anything in the dark forest. They only see the light from the deatheaters wands. They walk for an hour until the death eaters stop. They are now past Hogwarts ground which means they can apparate away. Harry and Hermione arrive just in time. Bellatrix holds Draco's arm and clearly wants to apparate first.

"No!" Hermione screams. Of course she has all the attention right now. Bellatrix let's go of Draco's arm and all the death eaters pull out their wands. This did not go as planned.


	28. The final fight

**Chapter 28: The final fight**

The deatheaters can't see Harry and Hermione and they form a circle each one pointing their wand in a different direction. "What was that?" Bellatrix demands to know. Draco is cursing Hermione in his head for being so reckless.

"I'm sure it was nothing" Draco tells her.

"I'm not deaf Draco I heard someone" His aunt tells him.

"We'd better go" Snape says to the group. "It sounded far away; we can be out of here before they reach us"

"He's right we should go tell our master the good news"

"I'll take Draco" Snape tells them and pulls him closer.

"Fine" Bellatrix snaps and then apparates away. Fenrir follows soon after them and now only Snape and Draco are left behind. Snape wants to apparate too and Hermione sees this as the perfect opportunity to disarm Snap.

"Expelliarmus" She yells but Snape blocks the spell like he expected it.

"Show yourself Granger, I know you're here" Draco yells in his head that she shouldn't but she can't read his mind and steps away from under the cloak. Draco takes a step back and holds his wand ready to cast a spell.

"Well well. Hermione Granger, a pleasure as always. What exactly do you think you are doing here?"

"You killed Dumbledore. You were supposed to be on our side. He trusted you!"

"I know it's a pity. But it was his life or mine"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You don't have to know everything Granger. Now, if you are not going to cast another spell at me that you know I will block you'll have to excuse us, we have somewhere to be."

Hermione looks at Draco. He tries to hide it but she sees he's scared. He wants to stay behind but he is scared of what will happen. He knows they'll come after him. He knows too much. If he doesn't join them they'll kill him without a moment's pause. He hesitates and Hermione doesn't like it. She understands that he's scared but she is afraid he might make the wrong choice.

"I don't mind if you leave professor Snape, I'm sure you know I'd rather have you gone. Malfoy however, stays here"

Snape laughs at her. But Hermione doesn't change her expression. She keeps looking at him with determination. She has made up her mind. She won't let Draco leave now.

"Do you honestly believe that he would want to stay here? In a school where everyone hates him for his attempt to kill Dumbledore which everyone will know by now? With you, of all people?"

"Yes I do"

He laughs even louder but he stops when he looks at Draco. He points his wand at Snape.

"I'm sorry. I can't go with you."

"You're sorry?" He asks him. "After everything I did for you you'll leave me in the hands of Voldemort just like that? You selfish son of a bitch" He points his wand at Draco and in a few seconds Harry has his wand pointed at Snape too and it is now three to one.

"I should have known that Potter was here too. You are very stupid Draco. I hope you enjoy the next few hours because they will be your last" before anyone can say anything he apparates away.

Hermione runs over to Draco and hugs him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Harry asks them.

"It's not what you think Harry"

"He tried to kill Dumbledore!"

"But he didn't"

"I can't believe this. Tell me it's not true"

"Look Harry it's not what you think. He's not who you think he is"

"So he's not Draco Malfoy then? He's not the arrogant pig that used to insult you every day and make you miserable?"

"He is but he isn't like that anymore. He's tried to stop all of this. He never wanted to be a deatheater."

"So what, he told you that and you just believed him? Are you out of your mind?"

"Look Harry a lot has happed this year and I'll explain everything later" We now have to get him somewhere safe. You heard Snape, they'll come for him"

"They can have him. He is one of them Hermione why are you protecting him?"

"I'll explain everything later we have to go now"

Draco hasn't said anything the entire time. Harry looks at him.

"Fine, but I want to know everything and I am not letting you go with him alone"

"Thank you Harry" he nods but doesn't say anything. Apparate to Sirius' house. We'll keep him there tonight and see what we'll do with him tomorrow.

"Thank you" Draco tells him.

"Don't thank me yet Malfoy, I haven't decided on anything yet"

Hermione sighs and then apparates Draco with her.

Hermione shows Draco to his room for the night and then goes to Harry to talk to him. She tells him everything. Even about the masked ball that she went to and how everything started with her attempt for revenge. Harry believes her but he still doesn't trust Draco completely. The pain of losing Dumbledore is too fresh and the image of Draco pointing his wand at him just won't leave his mind. Later Harry checks on Draco and tells him that if he does anything to betray his or Hermione's trust he will kill him without hesitating. He also warns him never to hurt Hermione and Draco just nods. He was expecting Harry to throw him out of his house so these threats didn't scare him.

That night Draco doesn't join her and Harry for dinner. Harry is glad he didn't and has no intention of bringing him his food but Hermione wanted to talk to him anyway and she now has an excuse to see him. He is sitting on the windowsill when she opens the door.

"I brought you some food; I thought you might be hungry." She tells him.

"Thanks" He doesn't look at her. He just keeps staring out the window.

She walks over to him and puts the plate on a small table that she walks by. "What are you looking at?" she asks him.

"Nothing"

"Are you okay?" She is standing behind him now but he still refuses to look at her.

"I'm fine"

"You don't look fine"

He doesn't say anything.

"Look at me" she tells him but he doesn't obey. "Look at me" she tells him again. He turns around and looks at her.

"Did you cry?" she asks him.

"No"

"Liar" she smiles. "Don't worry everything will be okay. We'll keep you safe until this is all over"

"When will it be over? You should have let Snape taken me. They'll kill you now too"

"I won't let them"

"Stop acting like everything is okay. It's not! I should have just gone with them and keep pretending I'm a loyal follower and hope that they'd spare me"

Hermione kisses his forehead. "You can be yourself now" she tells him and kisses him besides his eye and on his collarbone. "You don't have to hide behind a mask anymore".

"What are you doing?" He asks her.

"I'm kissing away your mask" She smiles at him and finally kisses him on the mouth. He smiles and kisses her back. They might be dead tomorrow but at least he knows she cares.

The end.


	29. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

It's been five years since the final battle. Hermione hid Draco for a year until harry defeated Voldemort. Two years later Harry and Luna got married and are currently expecting their first child. It took some time for everyone to accept it but Hermione and Draco are a couple. They've had to work out their differences but they just seemed to be perfect for each other. They are both very smart and they challenge each other. They disagree on everything but they don't mind. They like their little arguments. Hermione loves it that he is so smart. He always has something to say and he doesn't give up so easily. Probably because of his pride. Draco, Harry and Ron still don't get along very well. For Hermione sake they try but they hardly ever let an opportunity to insult one another pass. After a while Harry and Ron noticed that even though he is still the jerk he always was he is actually very nice to Hermione and they really like each other.

Draco remained living in Malfoy manor after his father died. His mother stayed there too. Draco asked Hermione to move in with him but she refused. She told him she wouldn't want to live there because the house was too big and cold for her taste. Also the house elves working there wasn't to her likings. He asked her what sort of a house she would want then. She thought for a while and told him she wanted a double fronted house with oriels. One of the two front rooms would be the living room with a fireplace and she would convert the other room into her private library. She would create a couch like spot in the oriel where she could read and look outside. She also wanted a dining room overlooking the Garden. She would make a beautiful garden with a swing and roses around it. Draco commented that that would only attract bees but she hit him softly and told him to be a little more romantic and basically to shut up. On the first floor of the house she wanted her bedroom to be at the front so it would have an oriel as well. She really loved those. She would make the same sort of lounge in there as she would make in the library. Draco told her he wanted a walk in closet and she asked him who said he could live there with her. He pouted and she smiled. She then agreed on the walk in closet and went on imagining the rest. She wanted to have a guest room and a room for kids she might have in the future. Maybe a couple of rooms for kids would be better. They could always use them as a spare room. "You really do have a big imagination" He told her and smiled.

Now

"Are you sure we can do this? What if anyone needs us? Would they know where to find us? Luna could have her baby any minute. What if someone has an accident? What if we can't find the way back home?"

"Don't worry so much Hermione we'll be fine. You wanted this remember? You told me so in one of your letters. You wanted to get on a bus and get out in a city you don't know without thinking about anything other than just having fun"

"I know I said that and I do want that but what if someone needs me?"

"They'll find you"

"How could they? We won't even know where we are."

"Stop worrying! Come on."

"Okay your right. It's stupid. Let's take this bus"

"No I don't want to take this bus."

"Why not?"

"It's too crowded"

"It's Saturday Draco all the buses will be crowded."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do"

"Well it left now. Here comes another one let's take this one."

"This one is even more crowded than the other one"

"Yeah well it's a Saturday Hermione what do you expect?"

"You are unbelievable"

"I know. I'm just perfect."

"And you're so modest too."

"It's a gift."

"Sure it is."

They drive in the bus for a while until Draco suddenly jumps up.

"We have to get out here"

"Why? I thought we were going to the last stop?"

"I have a feeling we should get out here"

"But..."

"Just trust me" He drags her out of the bus before she can protest any more.

They look around. They are in a small village at the top of a hill. The views are amazing. They walk through the village and there are tons of cute little shops. Hermione wants to go to every single one of them and buys some souvenirs. For a while the views and the shops really take her mind off of everything that's going on. After a couple of hours they eat at a small restaurant by the center square of the small village. The square has a fountain in the middle with mermaids on it. For desert they have Ice cream with chocolate toppings.

"I'd love to come back here one day just for this ice cream! It's delicious." Hermione tells him.

"Maybe you will"

"Yeah maybe"

"Draco looks at the time"

"You have your watch! We weren't supposed to bring that remember."

"I know but we have to go somewhere"

"Where?"

"You'll see"

"Is this the part where you kidnap me and hold me prison?"

He laughs. "No. but it isn't such a bad idea."

Hermione follows him and they stop in front of a big white double fronted house with oriels.

"What's going on Draco?"

He turns to her and she is looking at him expectantly.

"I want you to come live with me Hermione. I can't stand it that you live somewhere else. I want to wake up beside you every morning"

She smiles.

"I know you don't want to live in Malfoy manor. Remember how you told me about your dream house a couple of years ago?"

"Yes I remember."

"Well, I've been trying to find that for you."

"Really? That is so sweet."

"No it isn't"

"Yes it is Draco. Thank you.

"Don't thank me yet. You haven't seen the house."

They walk up the front porch until Hermione suddenly stops in her tracks.

"You've planned this. You knew where we were. We were supposed to get out at a place we didn't know."

"Well I've never been here"

"But you knew where we were."

"But you didn't. Wasn't that the point?"

"I guess it was. But you still cheated."

"Let's just get in shall we"

She smiles and happily follows him. The house looked very promising from the outside and when Hermione is looking through all the rooms she falls in love with it. After a while they sit down at the current owner's couch.

"I love it Draco"

"Good." He gets down on his knee in front of her.

"I love you Hermione and I want you to be with me forever. Will you marry me and live with me in this house?"

"Are you serious?" He nods and smiles at her. "Yes, yes I will" She jumps in his arms and hugs him.

"Draco, I have something to tell you." They sit down again on the couch.

"I'm pregnant Draco"

"I know"

"What do you mean you know?"

"I love you and I love your body. Did you honestly believe I wouldn't notice any changes to it?" she smiles.

"How long did you know?"

"About a week"

"A week? I've known for two days!" he smirks at her.

"I guess I know you better than you do."

"Never. Is that why you suddenly want to marry me?"

"No of course not. I've been thinking about it for a while and when I realized you were pregnant I knew I could never spend another day apart from you" she takes another look around the room.

"The house is perfect Draco. I'd love to live here with you."

"Good. Otherwise I might have had to kidnap you and hold you prison after all"

The end.

**Author's note:**

**Sorry it took so long. I'm not supposed to be writing now either. Way too much homework to be done! Anyway thank you for reading my story and for having the patience to wait for me to update every time. I'd love to know what you think about it. If you like this, I've written three more Harry Potter fanfics. Maybe you'd like those too. Thanks again. **


End file.
